One major goal of the proposed $2.77 trillion budget is to halve the national deficit – which this year stands at its all-time high of $423 billion – by the time Bush leaves office in 2009. In doing so, the proposal seeks cuts in several social service programmes, including cuts in Medicare, Medicaid support for poor children’s care, and education.
Nine Cabinet agencies would also see reductions, with the biggest percentage cuts occurring in the Departments of Transportation, Justice and Agriculture. In addition, the budget seeks cuts or total elimination on 141 programmes that would produce savings of nearly $15 billion in 2007.
According to Jim Towey, Director of the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, faith-based groups are not exempt from the cuts.
“The President is not interested in religion, he’s interested in results and he’s trying to fund programmes that have proven to be effective,” Towey said during a press briefing Monday.Everyone can win, as long as churches understand the boundaries of where the money can be spent.
Lynn Ziegenfuss, the director of Mentor Youth
“There is a greater level of competition, and I guess that does threaten the status quo,” he continued. “But at a time when budget resources are tight because of the war on terror and other pressures, you need to have competition.”
However, Towey predicted that such competition will open new doors for faith-based and community groups that previously did not have access to government grants.
