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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Our View: Hear them out ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The importance of being earnest ... OSF will spend grant on improving disability access ... Our View: Hear them out ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The importance of being earnest ... OSF will spend grant on improving disability access ... RELOCATIONS GOP's war on the poor Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News In his State of the Union address in 1964, President Lyndon Johnson announced his War on Poverty. In their budget resolution of 2015, Congressional Republicans announced their War on the Poor. Of course they wouldn’t call it that. To use our own congressman’s words, they refer to it as “approving a budget that balances and reduces our national debt.” But as I explained last week, of the more than $5 trillion of anticipated savings over the next 10 years, about 69 percent will come from programs that assist moderate- and low-income people. In addition, it will radically change Medicare, turning it into a voucher program, the worth of which will be determined by insurance companies. It may be bad form to appear partisan. But this budget resolution was passed along party lines. To quote myself, too many Democrats serve the interests of the wealthy, but none of them make war on the poor. Republicans do that. When I spoke about the budget resolution at the Ashland Lions Club on May 12, one unhappy listener tried to justify these cuts by suggesting that the War on Poverty was a failure and that throwing money at problems don’t solve them. Really? I pointed out that in 2012, without government assistance, 29 percent of the population would have fallen below the poverty line. Counting the value of all government assistance, including tax credits, only 16 percent did so (and perhaps only 13.8 percent if we correct for unreported benefits). These “safety net” programs, such as food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit, are all on the chopping block. People have been helped. Now they will be deeply hurt. The 2nd Congressional District, ours, is relatively poor. We must make sure that all Greg Walden’s constituents understand what he intends for us. Equipped with such information, if we still wish to support him, so be it. I call first upon the hosts of this column. The Ashland Daily Tidings and the Mail Tribune should report this story and keep reporting on it. Sure, you want to feature local news, stories like the lead in the May 3 Tribune on lack of affordable housing (“No Place to Live”). But in two years you’ll be running dozens of such “human interest” stories if you don’t let people know what’s coming down on them. Phone Greg Walden. Ask him to explain himself. I call upon “churched people” to talk about this in your congregations. There is no major religion that doesn’t regard such treatment of the poor as unconscionable. Ask your rabbi, priest or minister to sermonize on this topic. For Christians, the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is apt. I call on social service providers to speak up for your clients, and educate them so they can speak for themselves. Demands on your services will skyrocket, but your budgets will be decimated. I call on city and county officials to look into what will happen to the federal dollars on which you depend. Then work with your colleagues elsewhere in the 2nd District. You have enormous influence. Individually, let’s start pressuring Walden. Tell him you know. Go to his Facebook page and start posting comments. You’d be amazed what can happen if enough of us do. And contact your friends who live elsewhere in our district — in Bend, perhaps, or Klamath Falls or La Grande. Activate them. Last week I explained why we have time to prevent this terrible wounding of our people. We mustn’t waste it. Herb Rothschild Jr. is chairman of the board of Peace House.   DailyTidings.com Writer Posted May. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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