FAV Congress

Today, the US Congress passed its budget proposal which "would slice almost $50 billion from the deficit by the end of the decade by curbing rapidly growing benefit programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and student loan subsidies.” If no one made a stink, the cuts would have included proposals to cut free school lunches to 40,000 kids and transitional aid for welfare-to-work folks.

What is truly infuriating is the that the spending cut will be combined with “a tax bill slated for a vote later that would extend tax cuts on capital gains and dividend income due to expire at the end of 2008.” How this congress could even think about it is truly baffling and really a slap in the face.

This FAV Congress, formerly led by Brother Tom Delay, who won on the shoulders of Roe v. Wade and Christian Fundamentalism, has now given a resounding FUCK YOU! to the poorest in all of us. This FAV Congress who called for a special Sunday session to try to save a brain dead woman, has now so brazenly given the weakest and most helpless of us all the FAV middle finger. This FAV-clothed, moral, Christian Congress…

I have always been in awe of the Gospel reading for All Saints Day – the Beatitudes – so for this FAV Congress, a little refresher course:

- Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
- Blessed are the meek: for they shall posses the land
- Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted
- Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill
- Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy
- Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God
- Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God
- Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

For the rich and brazen, for those who do not mourn and those who subrogate their own personal benefit to justice, for those who support the death penalty and advocate torture, for those who wage wars and are the persecutors – for this FAV Republican Congress – SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!

(Yes, Delia, your ring finger is still longer than your index finger...)

On a different note, Her Hotness, Delia Gallagher, has another speaking / moderating gig in some religious meeting sponsored by The Roundtable on Religious and Social Welfare Policy, this time in Atlanta, GA:

Attend the Roundtable's Annual Conference "From the White House to the State House: Federalism and the Faith-Based Initiative" -- December 8th in Atlanta

The Roundtable’s annual conference will take an in-depth look at state and local government partnerships with faith-based social service providers.

In addition, the conference luncheon program will feature "The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Disaster Response," a discussion about the role faith-based groups played in providing relief services following the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes. Topics will include issues surrounding the public reimbursement of these religious organizations, and concerns over the vulnerability of disaster victims. The program will be moderated by Delia Gallagher, Religion and Values Correspondent for CNN.

The Roundtable's Annual Conference will take place on December 8th from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Attendance is free and includes a luncheon, but registration is required. Space is filling fast, so make sure to register online now by clicking here. Or call 518-443-5014 for more information.

I wonder if Mike "Dickhead" Brown is going to be one of the guest speakers... sorry, I didn't look. I saw the word "Federalism" and immediately broke into hives. So needless to say, I will not be joining Her Hotness for lunch... but if you're available, please do so. And please say hello for me. (Heck, if I didn't make it to NYC, why would I even attempt Atlanta? Plus I believe in the separation of Church and State, dammit! And a panel that includes Jim Towey, Assistant to the President and Director of White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiative, definitely violates that!)