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Journal News Commentary

Good news for CT homeless

Homelessness declining due to agencies’ collective hard work

Amid all the bad news of the current political campaign and the CT state budget crisis, here is one piece of good news.  People of sensitive conscience have been very concerned for years about the plight of the homeless, especially those whose mental or emotional health makes keeping work difficult including veterans affected by PTSD.   This article reports that in the state of CT, we are making progress at housing the homeless.   Surveys of homelessness indicate that agencies working together have achieved a 13% decline since 2007 and a 4% decline in the past year.   Many people with these kinds of needs were left on the streets when institutions they formerly called home closed.   Now new options are being found to help.   Christian charity demands that we do no less!   Kudos to all those who are working hard to make this happen.   This is the kind of thing the politicians should be talking about.   I pray this effort faces zero or minimal cuts in the current necessary round of budget cutting.

http://digitaledition.courant.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=47aa170f-ad32-4c2f-82e1-3648535f4b54

 

 

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News Commentary

The Budget Cutting Debate

http://blog.sojo.net/2011/02/24/this-is-not-fiscal-conservatism-its-just-politics/

http://www.optimum.net/News/AP/Article?fmId=51779945

It is revealing to observe the budget cutting debates.   As Jim Wallis of Sojourners rightly affirms, “A budget is a moral document.”   So budget cutting reveals moral priorities.  Where leaders are willing to cut and where they are not willing to cut is indicative of what interests they are willing to sacrifice and what they are seeking to protect. 

As a citizen and a pastor, I am very concerned about this process for many reasons.  Some are just common sense, some are very Scriptural, and some may be my own politics too.   I read a recent thought-provoking editorial by Jim Wallis of Sojourners.  For those of you who are looking for a Christian voice that is very concerned about the poor, this organization may be your choice. I am adding them to my blog roll.   After reading Jim’s comments, I decided to make some of my own budget debate observations.

My Observations