Quote of the Day (Bishop Stephen Blaire, on How the GOP House Budget Fails a ‘Basic Moral Test’)

“The Catholic bishops of the United States recognize the serious deficits our country faces, and we acknowledge that Congress must make difficult decisions about how to allocate burdens and sacrifices and balance resources and needs. However, deficit reduction and fiscal responsibility efforts must protect and not undermine the needs of poor and vulnerable people. The proposed cuts to programs in the budget reconciliation fail this basic moral test. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states it is the proper role of government to ‘make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on’ (no. 1908). Poor and vulnerable people do not have powerful lobbyists to advocate their interests, but they have the most compelling needs.”-- Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire, Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, May 8, 2012 letter to the U.S. House of Representatives