LIHEAP is the tip of the iceberg. Obama to cut Head Start, community block grant funding

[Bluebear]

And I do mean ice, as in what may form in poor folk's houses with no heating oil. How much, again, were those bailouts for Goldman-Sachs, AIG, etc?

====

Christian Science Monitor:

As the Obama administration gets ready to unveil its budget on Monday, it appears that the president – like Republicans – will be calling for cuts to programs that are popular.

According to supporters of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), President Obama will propose cutting in half the budget for the program, which helps people pay their heating and cooling bills. This calendar year, some 8.9 million people are expected to ask for help with their utility bills, at a cost of $5.1 billion.

Funding for LIHEAP is not likely to be the only discretionary spending pared by the administration. There are also reports that the Obama administration will propose sharp budgets cuts in community-action programs, which fund such things such as Head Start, as well as community block grants, which are federal monies that can be used for almost anything a locality needs...

“People will be horrified at the scale of the cuts the House is considering, if they are implemented,” says Elizabeth Lower-Basch, senior policy analyst at the Center for Law and Social Policy, a Washington group that works to help the poor. “What we are hearing is that the cuts will be for the most vulnerable.”

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0210/Among-Obama-s-tough-budget-cuts-money-to-help-needy-pay-for-heat

[eShirl]

1. disgusting!

:cry:

[Bluebear]

2. Head Start, another pillar of Johnson's War on Poverty, ready to be attacked.

Unreal.

[xchrom]

3. recommend

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Head Start is more than education. It may be the only opportunity that the children

get anything to eat on any given day. I used to teach at a daycare and I made sure that the kids had enough to eat.

Obama is taking food away from these vulnerable children.

[w8liftinglady]

105. I went to Head Start. It was a lifesaver.

My dad was in Nam and my mom had a new baby. Head Start literally kept me sane,made me feel whole.
i will always be grateful for what those wonderful teachers did.

[StarsInHerHair]

111. my Mom was a Headstart teacher, retired now, but Obama is pro-life & that

means he's Anti-Child and Anti-Woman, just like the rest of the gop.

he's one of them.

[QC]

10. And, sadly, typical. n/t

[chimpymustgo]

23. He cut my vote, too.

[bobbolink]

48. Absolutely, and ALL of people in poverty. But there will be blaming of poor people for losng '12!

FUCK.IT.

[RedCloud]

69. Homeland Secuity and farmer bailouts should go.

Hit the repugs in their bread basket for a change.

[cutlassmama]

4. Freezing them to death is a way to hurry up and die. Culling the herd

[somone]

40. Yep. "Government Is The Problem" and all

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[Karmadillo]

6. What would be really disgusting would be our letting this happen. As our comrades in Egypt

have shown us, sitting around and playing with consumer goods and rationalizing about the lesser of two evils is not the only way to live one's life. If ever a country needed a General Strike and extended protests, it's ours. The warmongering looters of our treasury who dedicate their lives to inflicting misery at home and abroad need to go.

[ladyVet]

8. I agree.

I'm wondering lately how much more it's going to take before we start "walking like an Egyptian". Maybe when our river of denial floods and washes over all the poor and disenfranchised.

[cali]

15. there isn't going to be a general strike. Write your rep

[blindpig]

19. Sure there will

Ain't gonna happen yesterday but the way they are pushing from all quarters there will be no choice other than capitulation. Events overseas will serve as an inspiration.

Write my rep? Sure, that works so well....


Trey Gowdy usurped Bob Ingles from the right last year.

[cali]

22. well it's sure as shit not going to happen in time to do anything about these cuts

[blindpig]

36. Probably right about that

They're gonna push this stuff thru like exlax. Because we were not ready. But the outrage when the extent of the cuts is realized will be the catalyst for serious action in 1012.

[bobbolink]

139. Does it bother you that some of us will be DEAD by then?

[Doctor_J]

24. My prediction: Capitulation

e have let them get away with so much already that there is no reason to believe we'll suddenly grow a collective spine. Also, they have complete media control

[blindpig]

39. Naw

They have not pushed so hard since before the New Deal. All of the stuff which they used to keep us in line is being taken away, and with it that bogus exceptionalism. They are making Egyptians of us.

[Doctor_J]

59. Nope

All of the stuff which they used to keep us in line is being taken away

Nope. Their propaganda machine, which is the main tool to keep the stupid stupid, is stronger, not weaker.

[blindpig]

70. I wouldn't make too much of that.

Propaganda works, but like any lie it needs a basis in reality to be effective. They are and have been trashing those material benefits which they used to point to when touting the superiority of the 'American Way'. People are bound to notice.

[rhett o rick]

94. lol, yeah write your rep. That'l do it. We have such leverage. lol. We can unseat long time

incumbents, not. We can find people that will challenge the establishment democrats, not.

Write you rep and ask them please dont let us die, please. At least let us have cake.

[StarsInHerHair]

114. no, go to local senior centers and ask them if they have a fireplace & if yes

give them duraflame logs, there is a log....eco-log or some such name that states YOU CAN USE IT TO COOK FOOD. If they have pellet stoves see if you can help them by buying some for them. I'm sure they have skills they can 'swap' in exchange.

[bobbolink]

50. Thank you so much! Yours is the first voice acknowledging that you all have a part to play.

Now, it is time to set some fires!

:yourock: :pals:

[rhett o rick]

95. We aint ready for fires. Either figuratively or really. nm

[StarsInHerHair]

116. I am, I can sew and mend clothes, I can garden & start seeds

nt

[bobbolink]

138. well, good for you. that means you have advantages that many others don't have.

But, I guess they don't figure in your thoughts of what is needed, right?

[Name removed]

148. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabrina 1]

57. Yes, so what will it take for us to do what they have done?

We have millions who lost their homes while Big Banks were given billions of dollars. Talk of attacking SS and all other social programs that help the poor, while the rich know they can count on more bailouts if they screw up again. And this is a Democratic president?

[Vinca]

9. I've reached my Obama tipping point.

Citizens freezing to death is leaning a little too far to the right for me. If the poor are forced to suffer while Wall Street gets 7 figure bonuses, he's lost my vote.

[markpkessinger]

135. Join the club n/t

[rucky]

11. Head Start is one of the most successful government programs ever.

we can't afford to turn our backs on it.

[tekisui]

12. Sickening. I've lost all respect.

[Starry Messenger]

13. k&r

[somone]

14. Just trying to boost his street cred with the base

the haves and have-mores

[SammyWinstonJack]

91. Yep! His base was bu$h's base also. What CHANGE!

x(

[Dogtown]

16. K&R n/t

[OneGrassRoot]

17. National Alliance to End Homelessness

I subscribe to this site and get great updates. Through them I've learned of positive things done at HUD in the last four months or so. I haven't perused the entire site to see what all is being written about this issue, but I do see they have a webinar for 2/15:

On February 15 at 2:00 pm, the Alliance will host a webinar on the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget. The webinar is designed to provide an overview of the federal budget process and an analysis of the Administration’s proposed funding levels for federal low-income housing and targeted homelessness programs.

During the webinar, speakers will provide a rundown of the President’s FY 2012 budget requests, along with information on this year’s opportunities to advocate for increases to critical housing and homelessness assistance programs.

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/666292147


This site has lots of info: http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/policy/legislative_updates

[somone]

18. Worse than Reagan? "Why Head Start Avoided the Reagan Budget Ax":

http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=ED215772

Research findings on and program design features of Project Head Start have apparently influenced the Reagan administration's decision to continue the funding of the program. Research appears to indicate that the intervention program has a lasting impact on participants. Additionally, researchers have demonstrated that program benefits can outweigh costs. The program, through eligibility requirements and other regulations, serves the truly needy and, through fiscal monitoring and on-site visits to assess compliance with regulations, avoids problems of waste and fraud. Further, there is some indirect evidence that Head Start may help to create an environment within which family members of Head Start children achieve greater independence from publicly supported programs.

[Oilwellian]

42. I can personally vouch for that

Head Start consists of several components that not only address the needs of the children, but also their parents. I supervised the family services and parent involvement components in our local Head Start program and have witnessed their successes time after time. Sometimes all a person needs to work their way out of poverty is a good support system and a host of resources that will help them sharpen their skills and become productive members in society. I could go on and on to describe the good deeds of Head Start. It truly is an amazing program and there should be MORE money added to it, especially now with the growing number of Americans slipping into poverty.

One of the more profound experiences I had there involved a young woman who came into my office one morning, she sat down and started sobbing. When she regained her composure, she explained she was a student in our program at one time, and we were her lifeline. She said we provided her with the only meal she would get each day, and the love and support she received from her teachers had a profound effect on her. She said she will always consider Head Start to be a program that saved her life.

When you consider the national budget for Head Start has decreased 11% over the past 10 years, further cuts will mean they will be serving even fewer children. As it stands today, only half of the infants and toddlers who are eligible for Head Start are able to secure a slot in the program. Those numbers are likely to rise with the onslaught of new families living in poverty. If Obama signs on to these cuts, can we FINALLY admit he's a Republican?

[somone]

43. Such powerful testimony

Thanks!

I also know people whose lives were changed by the program. What Obama wants to do in the name of fiscal responsibility is short-sighted, cruel, and obscene.

[Bluebear]

78. Obscene says it. nt

[woo me with science]

87. "What Obama wants to do in the name of fiscal responsibility is short-sighted, cruel, and obscene."

Well said.

[NashVegas]

137. The Cabal Doesn't Want You Working Your Way Out of Poverty

They need an underclass.

[bobbolink]

140. Hell. They want us DEAD. And "progressives" are fine with that.

[Joe Fields]

149. lol

yeah bobbolink, YOU are the only one that gives a damn.
:eyes:

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Doctor_J]

21. He's obviously decided that he doesn't need us

either he's determined to retire in 2013, and do as much damage as possible in the next 23 months, or he thinks that moves like this will garner him enough support from the right to win in 2012 without us.

[ProSense]

25. Oh brother, let's spin

There are also reports that the Obama administration will propose sharp budgets cuts in community-action programs, which fund such things such as Head Start, as well as community block grants, which are federal monies that can be used for almost anything a locality needs.

Why not wait for the budget?

[spanone]

28. why wait when we can slag him now?

:sarcasm:

[tekisui]

29. It will be too late if we wait for the budget.

These proposals, trial balloons, whatever you want to call them are offensive and anti-Democratic.

That they are even being floated is disgusting enough.

[QC]

31. But that's the whole point of waiting!

So that, if the worst turns out to be true, we must "look ahead" rather than "dwell on the past."

And besides, you don't really want Sarah Palin, do you?

How many times have we seen this game before?

[tekisui]

35. We need new material.

This routine is too transparent.

[JuniperLea]

45. You do know that once the ACTUAL budget PROPOSAL

Hits Congress it will be debated and dissected and chewed and pre-digested for months and months, right?

[bobbolink]

142. Oh, GOOD! Our reprieve from death will be delayed! WHEW!

[girl gone mad]

67. And by then, we'll conveniently have another future outrage..

that we can't talk about because it hasn't happened yet.

[bobbolink]

141. But I STILL want my pony!

[ProSense]

32. Too late?

The budget is a proposal to Congress that will be debated for months.

People are just flinging speculation, "may do this, which includes this..."

[tekisui]

34. Are you suggesting these speculations have NO basis in reality?

If this is our starting point for the debate, we are in very bad shape.

[Rex]

52. No they want you to ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

I call it disaster management, before the disaster. They believe Obama will not slash and burn the poor, out of a sense of responsibility to the man. Not me, I fully expect Obama to throw every working poor person under the bus. A corporate suit has no compunction to change.

[neverforget]

89. The defense of this now is "it hasn't happened yet". When it happens

"it has to be done because of the Republicans" or some variation of it. But whatever the reason, they will defend it.

[Bluebear]

130. Don't forget "Obama never said he wouldn't cut Head Start during the campaign..

...so you just weren't listening blah blah blah."

[Joe Fields]

58. You are saying we don't have a right to be outraged by this trial balloon?

[tpsbmam]

145. Not the point.

What Congress does with the budget isn't the point. The point is that this Democratic (he claims) president is sending them a budget with critical programs severely slashed. That's the point.

[JuniperLea]

44. Because I'm addicted to the agita!

Why wait until the last minute when we can call for his head now? And if these things don't pan out, we'll be irate and ready for the next outrage! With God as my witness I will never go serene agaiiiiiiin!!!

When is the budget due, do you know? I'm just going to hide these threads until then. What an effing waste of effing time.

[Dragonfli]

122. When did you stop caring about poor people?

And how does it feel to lack empathy like your idol?
I took you off ignore because I remembered how you were once (at least appeared to be) compassionate.
You have grown so cold to people that are below your station.


How does it feel not to care?
I'd really like to know.

[bobbolink]

144. We all thank you for your great concern for poor people.

It is truly overwhelming.

[Forkboy]

146. What if does pan out?

Wouldn't it then be too late to do anything about it at that point? If it's just a trial balloon, as a couple Obama defenders here have posited, isn't the goal of such trial balloons to gauge reaction? So isn't it good to respond now while they're actually listening and before anything is done?

And if these threads are such a waste of time, what does that say about your personal time management that you spend so much of it on such trivial things?

[Union Scribe]

82. No, I'm afraid I couldn't keep up with you.

I get dizzy spinning. Some people don't seem to have that problem.

[ThomCat]

102. He has already announced that his budget will include

across the board cuts.

If you find out where the cuts are planned, you have time to lobby for changes. If you wait until the budget comes out, then it is too already too late to get him to change his budget.

Over and over again we are told to wait. Wait until it after he has done something to tell him that it was a bad thing to do. But then you'll say that we should shut up because we didn't speak up soon enough.

[liberation]

108. It is the traditional "stalling" BS talking point.

wait, wait, wait... ooops it is too late he "can't do anything about that."

wait, wait, wait... and in the unlikely event that the house does something good (e.g. don't ask don't tell) they give the bonus points to Obama exclusively. If Obama does something bad they blame it on the house.

Rinse, repeat.

It is all a silly attempt at stalling the debate.

[ThomCat]

109. I see you have played this game before.

:)

[markpkessinger]

136. If you wait until the proposed bjudget is published . . .

. . . you will have waited too long. The sleaziest part of the negotiations over what gets cut happen prior to it even being proposed.

[Bonobo]

151. OKAY WE WAITED.

And the 2.5 Billion reduction is in there.

What now??

[Octafish]

26. He really DOES admire Reagan.

The Real Ronald Reagan

[Earth_First]

30. Yet calls for our own revolution against our own government are met with "It's not that bad..."

So how long before it does get that bad...

[JoePhilly]

68. The comparison is laughable.

[grahamhgreen]

123. Except for the torture.

[WinkyDink]

33. The anti-FDR.

[cate94]

37. "People will be horrified at the scale of the cuts"...

and "the cuts will be for the most vulnerable."

The war on poverty is dead. The war on the poor is just beginning.

[somone]

38. Obama has moved beyond punching hippies - he's now punching the poor

as part of the RW gang initiation rite

[JuniperLea]

46. He hasn't done a damn thing yet...

Jesus God... this is getting more than silly.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JuniperLea]

64. Smart move!

Pardon the pun, I think!

:rofl:

[Joe Fields]

60. WTF do you mean he hasn't done anything yet? He's done plenty,

which gives us the horrific and totally justified feeling that we will continue to suffer at the hands of this democrat in republican clothing.

After Bush, we needed another FDR. What we got instead was a fucking Hoover.

[JuniperLea]

63. Please don't move the goalpost...

He hasn't made any cuts noted in this thread. Please get a grip.

[Joe Fields]

150. He will.

How much more does he have to do before you finally understand that he doesn't give a shit about us?

[Bluebear]

77. 'we needed another FDR. What we got instead was a fucking Hoover.'

Well said Joe.

[Chisox08]

131. No the war on poverty is still going on but instad of fighting the causes of poverty

They just want to kill off all those who are living in poverty.

[indepat]

41. Thank God this budget is probably not laden with as much RW crapola as

it will be in 2013 when pubs will likely control both House and a pub sits in the White House. :patriot:

[Bluebear]

76. 'and a pub sits in the White House'

biting tongue

[bobbolink]

47. All I can say to any of this is .... I TOLD YOU SO.

So, all of those who laughed at me because I said Obama wouldn't help the poverty issue at all:

NOW WHAT ARE Y0U GOING TO DO ABOUT ALL OF THIS?

Just watch people suffer and die, and look the other way?

Or, better yet, laugh?

[DainBramaged]

49. What party is our President from?

[Rex]

51. With the way things are going, I will be surprised if anyone wants to

vote for any candidate in 2012. The Repukes got the House back, so they cannot wiggle out from their part as well (actually they WILL, because the press allows them to lie all they want to). Of course the wealthiest among the ruling elites won't care. It doesn't effect their billions in bailouts or their wonderful tax cut (that they didn't need and many even said was unnecessary). Gonna pay a bad price at the ballot box...just a question of which side will fair worse.

Of course this could all be a dream (nightmare), if just ONE or TWO responsible people step up and do what is right.

[Marblehead]

53. that's it

had enough

[Poboy]

54. Recommend.

[Dappleganger]

55. Cutting Head Start, too?

This is nothing less than shameful. :(

[Missy Vixen]

61. DH and I were both in Head Start

My husband was able to eat because of the low-income breakfast and lunch programs at his schools.

I have nothing but contempt for anyone who would even suggest cutting programs like Head Start when one in six Americans is on food stamps, unemployment is over 9%, and we are STILL spending half a million dollars a minute in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[1776Forever]

62. To all those who think this help just comes automatically, heads up!

The GOP will be happy to vote for these cuts, but do the Dems have the guts and heart to knock them down! My sister who says both parties are the same, maybe she is right in this instance. It is shameful what is being proposed! Do we have a voice? I personally don't need the help right now but who can tell in the future and I do have family and friends who need the help. One never knows when they will need the help!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

65. DU Activists Corp -- where is it??

This is exactly the sort of thing it should be used for. We need a campaign to head this shit off. :mad:

[bvar22]

66. Truly through the Looking Glass.

This is NOT the "Democratic party" I joined 44 years ago.

THIS "New Democrat" Party are doing things even Republicans couldn't get away with.

Cold Blooded. :mad:

[w4rma]

71. He had better hope he wins new votes greater than the number of his supporters he's going to kill.nt

[EndElectoral]

72. I will wait until Monday to see if this is BS or not. It it is true I cannot vote for the man again

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[truebrit71]

74. STOP THAT RIGHT NOW! No-one is allowed to criticise the President...

...this is all just speculation and innuendo spread around by leftist agitators :sarcasm:

You'll got the apologist mob onto you if you don't watch out...

[lies and propaganda]

75. Death Panels

but this time not just for the elderly, the poor.

[pokerfan]

79. someone has to pay for those tax cuts for the top 2%

:banghead:

[Lorien]

80. Ah, but Obama makes such a great speech and "played" the Egypt situation so well!

:banghead: :banghead:

[somone]

92. Yeah, the greatest orator ever lived, and his speeches are to die for

[Marr]

98. He also looks dreamy in swim trunks.

[chill_wind]

81. *Cost of War* TradeOff: $737 bil for DOD FY2011 = 97 million HS slots for children

Taxpayers in The United States will pay $737.0 billion for proposed Department of Defense for FY2011. For the same amount of money, the following could be provided:

* 97.0 million Head Start Slots for Children for One Year

http://nationalpriorities.org/en/tools/tradeoffs/state/US/program/14/tradeoff/1

LOTS of money for the war(s). No money for the poor. USA! USA! USA!

[Kurovski]

83. So...is this "chess" "checkers" or maybe "Parcheesi"?

[demmiblue]

85. Monopoly. n/t

[leftstreet]

101. CHESS !!

[Miss_Underestimated]

127. Sorry!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorry!_%28game%29

[femrap]

84. Did anyone mentiion that

Fannie and Freddie will be gone. All housing will be privatized....like Countrywide did such a good job.

Mortgage rates are already climbing. Banks won't take the risk....no more 30 year mortgages unless you pay a premium. They want everyone to have interest rate risk...so nothing but ARMs.

It's all crap. Hello 3rd world Dumfukistan, the former nation of US of A.

[LongTomH]

86. K&R

:kick:

[Raine]

88. Everytime I think he can't do anything worse

than he already has ... he always does. :grr:

[uppityperson]

90. Has he actually proposed any of this? Or is it "perhaps"?

If he has, I would like to see links. I am not getting up in arms because "some" report he "might" propose such things. I'd like to see what has been proposed for cuts though. Thank you

[fascisthunter]

93. Yes, Sir... what else should we peons sacrifice for the rich

do they need blood?

He better not do this.

[Bonobo]

96. For everyone saying "Obama hasn't said it" or "Wait for the budget!"

I have a question:

Where are the denials by the White House?

also

Don't you understand what "floating a balloon" is all about? It is about 2 things:

1. testing the wind
2. preparing the way

Now the Repubs can say that even the WH is realizing the need for these kind of cuts.

Anyway you slice it, this kind of thing getting out and being discussed is DAMAGING to the left wing's argument for the necessity of these kinds of programs.


Wake the hell up y'all.

[defendandprotect]

113. +1000% --

[lonestarnot]

97. Disgusting! Administration should be ashamed! And if not we should shame them!

[madamesilverspurs]

99. And my crystal ball says.......

wait to see what's actually in the budget. I really hate having to reel myself in after some over-heated chicken littling.

-

[woo me with science]

100. Kicking again for visibility. Write and call the administration to express your outrage. nt

[bobbolink]

103. Thank you! Action on our behalf is most appreciated!

:yourock:

[Lifelong Protester]

104. Hey, for all you taking the 'wait and see' attitude, watch what

is happening here in Wisconsin. Our new governor is trying to single-handedly make more poor people out of middle class folks than you can imagine. He wants to take labor relations in the state back 100 years. I don't think you want to 'wait and see'.

As my boss says, about us, the dwindling middle class state employees: The poor don't feel sorry for us because we have jobs, and the rich sure don't give a damn about us. To which I added: when enough of us are poor, maybe we'll have the guts the Egyptians had.

[RobinA]

106. I'm Withholding Judgement

I would be very surprised if he cuts HeadStart much, if at all. It's just politically dumb.

[JDPriestly]

107. There is something we are not being told about these cuts.

Nearly every developed country is making similar draconian cuts. Was some deal made? Is there some unstated purpose -- like maybe coping with peak oil?

Or have we just bought too much Chinese junk? Have we simply exported too many jobs? Are we living so beyond our means that we have to starve ourselves and our children or is there something else going on here?

Greed, obviously is a motivation. But those who run our corporations can surely remember of the man who killed the golden goose. And it is just impossible that every European country and our country are all needing to make such drastic cuts in government spending.

[Name removed]

110. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[defendandprotect]

112. Disgraceful, shameless -- and very GOP of him!! Yikes!!

Can we do a RECALL?

[defendandprotect]

115. These are all things that Bush wouldn't have been able to do .... but Obama can ... if we let him--!

[upi402]

117. Same paradigm as Clinton and NAFTA

How odd that history should repeat. Wonder why we never learn from it?

[defendandprotect]

124. Exactly -- but do think we're learning now ... DU in very post-Obama mode ....

we just need a "place to go" -- !!!

I'm hoping that we might DRAFT Bernie Sanders -- he could run on a Dem ticket --

and he'd attract many liberals from third parties -- I think!

[Beacool]

126. Clinton didn't initiate NAFTA.

It was already a done deal by the time he got into office.

[upi402]

129. not so

i was on a group that actively fought that. Bush 1 woulda loved it but never woulda got it. therefore, Clinton, the best republican ever.

unless you want to say it was a corporatist agenda item for many years, then yes. that all started -in the modern political era- when the business roundtable was caught flat-footed in the late 70's.

[DeSwiss]

118. K&R

@#%#$%#$^ $%WQUY$V%YV#G@$YTX#TC#$!X#$CTY#$!TYW$%XY@$%YC@V$%^Y%^$&$%^#

[somone]

120. My sentiment exactly

[ProSense]

119. Nonprofits Brace for Obama's 2012 Budget

Nonprofits Brace for Obama's 2012 Budget

Many nonprofit advocates expect bad news when President Obama unveils his fiscal 2012 budget on Monday. The president has said he plans to propose a five-year spending freeze on some domestic spending and has already outlined some cuts that would affect programs for low-income people.

But if last year's White House budget plan is any guide, the new proposals will also provide some gains for certain types of nonprofits. For example, last year he sought extra money for Head Start and national-service programs.

The political pressure to slash spending is far greater this year, however, with Republicans now controlling the House and facing strong demands for deep cuts from lawmakers backed by the small-government Tea Party.

<...>

Will the president renew his proposal to limit charitable deductions for the wealthy? <...>

Will he propose new money for AmeriCorps and other national-service programs? <...>

What will he propose to replace Community Service Block Grants? <...>

Will he propose a big increase in the Promise Neighborhoods program? <...>

The budget comes out on Monday.

More on the Promise Neighborhoods program

[RowdyRacer]

121. I hope they cut, & cut...

until all of the low income conservative voters realize how they have been voting against their own interest for these many years. Hunger, hardship, and homelessness - whatever it takes for these people to get a clue. It is clear that they will never be reached through reason or logic. I say let the suffering begin, and let's see how bad it has to get before stupid Americans come to their senses.

[Beacool]

125. If these cuts weren't so heinous I would be laughing by head off.

Hope, change, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, change from one master to another.

:(

[dreamnightwind]

128. K & R

I also heard the rumor (mentioned up-thread) that this administration, per Geithner, will eliminate Fannie and Freddie, leaving us with nothing but private lenders to choose from. I believe CNN was reporting it a couple of days ago.

These austerity measures, coming after extending the Bush tax cuts for everyone (including the rich who are doing quite well and won't use the money to create jobs but to fatten their portfolios or to run US fronted businesses that primarily use foreign labor) are way beyond the level of betrayal required to set off my DINOmeter.

If we won't primary this guy we have no self respect.

[demwing]

132. This isn't Obama supporting the right over the left

This is Obama supporting the powerful over the powerless.

Left and right doesn't even matter anymore. Those are directions that exist in the mind of the media

[woo me with science]

133. "This is Obama supporting the powerful over the powerless."

[phone]

[Roci]

134. This kind of "give in-give away" stuff

is exactly why the "left wing" of our Party can't be (and ought not be) silent and pliant. Instead, we must be defiant.

There is no excuse or reason for this type of "policy". This hurts people. Cold, Hunger, and want know neither "party" nor "Wing" It is a question of what some Democrats will stand up for, and what others (highly placed tho they may be) will lay down for.

As far as this lifelong, "yellow dog" Democrat is concerned, this party laid down in January 2009. I'm tired of having people try to leave boot prints and tire tracks over my backside while real people suffer. The White House plays with statistics and plays "limbo" to see how low they can go to kiss up to the wrong people.

This isn't the Party of Wellstone anymore, it's become the party of "No Stones!"

[Name removed]

143. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[uppityperson]

147. Has he done this or is it just rumors what they are considering? Thank you.

[Bonobo]

152. He has done it.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/11/news/economy/obama_heating_cuts/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- President Obama's 2012 budget will propose cutting $2.5 billion from a program that helps low-income people cope with high energy costs in the cold of winter and heat of summer, according to a source familiar with the budget process.

The reduction is steep, and might impact millions of families. In 2010, the program received $5.1 billion in federal funds, which were then distributed to states that have both low average incomes and high energy costs.

Members of Congress from those states are sure to fight the cuts. On Friday, a bipartisan group of 31 senators wrote to Obama's budget officials urging them to reconsider.

"To cut this critical funding during one of the coldest winters in recent memory would not only be devastating for the individuals who rely on LIHEAP to keep their families safe and warm, but would serve as a threat to our national economic recovery," wrote Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who was joined by Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine.

[uppityperson]

154. I see "will propose ". If he cuts this, it is wrong.

I am not saying I agree it is ok, far from it. Just trying to figure out if he's talking about it or done it. Looks like he's still considering it ("will propose").

Thanks for the answer bonobo

[BlueIris]

153. Yikes.

Scary.