Across the country, I have read account after account how budget cuts are first levied upon those that can least afford to lose what they receive, yet even in states which have a Democratic governor, as here in New York, it appears the majority of cuts in budgets already stretched are cuts to services and support for the poor, disabled, mentally handicapped, and seniors.
Having been a volunteer in my state (and continue to be) in helping those that need help access help, I see for myself the desperation that sets in when even meager assistance is threatened.
These are people whose very existance depends on the small amount of funds provided them for their very survival. Disabled who depend on help for just their activities of daily living. Mentally handicapped whose services help them maintain somewhat of a normal life.
I am disabled. I was a nurse but an injury has now put me in the disabled category. Since I have worked all my life, I qualified for SSDI (which I earned through my taxes)but I have found many many people fall into a category that makes them ineligible for SSDI. Thus it is the services in the states that provides them with the means to live at poverty level. Many do not realize they may be eligible for SSI. There are not enough outreach workers to inform them and help them apply. Social workers with the the State Social Services departments are ill-equipped nor do they have the knowledge to even realize there are avenues for them to take to help some of their clients. In many cases, they collect their paycheck and care less about the client other than push papers around. I was shocked personally to find out for myself, that many that work for Social Services do not need a college education to be hired. There are of course specialties in the Social Service departments, i.e., child support, child protection which do require a college degree. Most who take applications for assistance only have to pass a state exam (which is a joke) and that's all they need to push paper around.
My neighbor worked for a Home Care Agency until Friday. She was called and let go. She herself is now on the unemployment line. Cuts by medicaid to the agencies that provide home care by Medicaid has forced Home care agencies to let go of some of their more expierienced people.
She was upset because there was no way to determine if the clients she had received a new care assistant. Those clients she had were left without someone to help them, and two of them are in wheelchairs.
Do the states care? NO. It is easier to cut funding to the poor and disabled because these very people are ill-equipped to fight back or demand help. Many are involved in daily survival, unable to even know exactly WHO they should call for help.
This story can be heard in community after community, state after state.
How this country could allow Governors to cut services to those most in need is a travesty. Governor Patterson in New York is doing the very same thing in New York as is what is happening in California and every other state. It is easier to grab monies allocated for those in need rather than fight the big dollar guys who fight to keep their lucrative contracts.
Republicans seem to feel that tax cuts for the rich, and money to the rich is the way to go and to hell with the poor. To them, the poor are expendable. They seem to think that the poor are invisible and so what if they cut their benefits? They over-burden volunteer charities and organizations like the one I volunteer for and we spend most of days now desperately searching for alternatives for the clients we are trying to help. But the volunteer resources are running dry and it breaks our hearts that we can't do more.
It is sadly the fact that the struggles of the disabled and poor appear to be unimportant to a majority of lawmakers. Fortunately a democratic majority in New York are fighting Gov. Patterson on these budget cuts, and our Governor is a DEMOCRAT! Patterson came from a prividleged family in Harlem. He went to private schools and though living in Harlem was far removed from the struggles of the poor in that community. HE COULD CARE LESS. He might as well change his party affiliation and become a Republican because he thinks like they do. Keep the funding for the rich, and cut funding for services for the poor.
There is only one person who can help now. President Obama. In his stimulus package is billions for entitlement programs for the states. The Republicans in Congress are "outraged" that President Obama is including these funds in the stimulus package. Of course they are. They want more money for the rich! President Obama must fight to keep those funds in the package and put restrictions on those funds to the states, demanding they go for the programs that help those most in need.
But bringing it down to the the person, disabled, who depends on a check from the state to have a roof over their head, and other services, worrying about whether they will have a roof over their head, or medical help, or food is a worry they don't need to have. They are struggling enough as it is. Adding this to their struggle to live day to day is beyond unforgiveable, it is criminal!