Hurricanes and Budget Priorities

Mother Nature definitely got a bad rap for the tragedy that unfolded from the recent powerful hurricanes. I was struck by the way “killer” and “deadly” were repeatedly used to describe Katrina and Rita. Yes, these are powerful storms that are indifferent to what is in their paths. However, the forces responsible for the unnecessary loss of so much life and property are to be found in the human realm. Global warming, racism, classism, lack of emergency preparedness, lack of infrastructure investment, rampant coastal development without thought of the future, and disorganized and downsized government all played a part. Budget priorities reveal a deadly calculation: divert money slated to reinforce the New Orleans levees to the war in Iraq, and we see people losing their lives in both places.

I have had the privilege of working with a wonderful organization that is based in New Orleans, the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. For twenty five years they have trained groups and organizations throughout the United States on undoing racism and organizing communities based on truly human values. They all had to flee New Orleans and their office was destroyed. They are continuing their training and organizing, even in the midst of so much change. To find out more about them, send a donation to the rebuilding fund, or ask them to come to your community to do training, go to www.pisab.org. For more connections to the grassroots communities in the south, go to www.southernempowerment.org and www.katrinaaction.org.

The aftermath of both Katrina and Rita have shown a brighter light on the crisis in our government’s stewardship of our national resources. Although they have pushed through some large emergency legislation to provide money for the hurricane recovery efforts (including some no-bid contracts for corporations), Congress has failed to pass a budget for the fiscal year that started October 1. Here are some of the things going on:

• They are in gridlock over finishing the appropriations bills and reconciliation legislation (making sure taxes and entitlement programs fit within budget targets) for the fiscal year, so they have passed what is known as a “CR” or Continuing Resolution to avoid government shutdown. It is passed by both houses of congress and signed by the president. The CR funds programs at a low level and endangers community services funding and other key funding.
  
• Later this fall or early winter they will probably be able to pass the budget, but it may be in the form of an omnibus appropriations bill, which is less transparent and harder to scrutinize than individual bills.
  
• The price tag on Katrina and Rita clean-up efforts, reconstruction, and emergency grants and programs will be $100 - $200 billion and that money will need to come from somewhere.
  

• Many (democrats as well as moderate republicans) are now calling for Bush’s huge tax cuts to the wealthy to be abandoned, instead of making permanent as had been the plan. They are also calling for an end to program cuts in programs for low- income Americans.
  
• On the other side of things, many in Congress are calling for programs for low-income Americans to be cut to make way for Katrina funding, including even deeper cuts in Medicaid.
• In light of the Katrina situation, the Republican leaders have been forced to put off a vote on repeal of the estate tax.

A Gallup poll in September revealed that a majority of Americans believe the mission in Iraq should be cut back to cover costs of the recovery (Washington Post, 9/21/05). This is a time when everything should be and must be on the table: tax increases, military budget cuts, increases in funding for health care, public sector jobs, food and housing assistance, unemployment compensation, and child care subsidies. And yes, increasing the deficit if necessary for now. Getting people back on their feet, in safe and affordable housing, and working with decent wages to support their families is the most important thing right now.

Women and children have been particularly hard hit by Katrina and Rita. Federal aid in the form of worker recovery accounts are important to help families get back on their feet, but women’s long-term economic security must also be addressed. According to Women Work!, prior to the hurricane there were 900,000 single mothers living in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. On average, 2 in 5 of these single mothers lived in poverty. We need national wage, housing, child care, and health care policies that enable women to achieve economic self-sufficiency so that single mother families can thrive. (For more information, visit Women Work! at www.womenwork.org.)