Economic Stimulus Package Action Alert from Justice, Peace and Human Development

ACTION ALERT!!!

January 24, 2008

Economic Stimulus Package

The USCCB has contacted Congressional leadership and members of the Administration about the proposed economic stimulus package urging that low-income people be included. (See attached letter from Bishop William Murphy.) Reports indicate that leaders of Congress and the Administration have reached an agreement. We are pleased that low-income people appear to be included in the package through a rebate. However, there is more to do as the final steps are taken on this package. Key goals would be to strengthen the food stamp, unemployment insurance, and low income energy assistance (LIHEAP) programs.

CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND ASK THEM TO:

• keep in the stimulus package the rebates that will help low-income families (who don’t pay income taxes but pay other taxes, e.g., social security);

• add to the stimulus package increases in unemployment insurance, food stamps, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

A basic moral test for our society is how we treat the most vulnerable in our midst. In a society marred by deepening disparities between rich and poor, Scripture gives us the story of the Last Judgment (see Mt 25:31-46) and reminds us that we will be judged by our response to the “least among us.”
The Challenge of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 50.

BACKGROUND

Providing help to low-income families makes practical good sense because these families will most likely use this money short term within the economy. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke told the House Budget Committee, “There is good evidence that cash that goes to low and moderate income people is more likely to be spent in the near term.” Others, including the January 15, 2008, “Options for Responding to Short-term Economic Weakness,” along with analysts and economists from the Department of Labor and the CBO, report that strengthening unemployment insurance, food stamps and LIHEAP can be effective means for stimulating the economy in a timely

Bishop Murphy's Letter to Secretary Paulson

January 23, 2008


Secretary Henry J. Paulson, Jr.
United States Department of the Treasury
Washington, D.C. 20220



Dear Mr. Secretary:
As Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I write to express our hope that the Administration and Congress will work together quickly and cooperatively to shape and pass effective measures to
help our nation and our people respond to growing economic stress. I also write to express our strong conviction that poor families and their children as well as low wage workers should receive priority consideration in developing these plans and carrying them out.

Specifically, I urge you to find effective ways to protect the poorest families and low wage workers from financial hardship during this economic downturn. Any economic stimulus policy must provide concrete economic help to these families. The bishops’ conference continues to support strengthening existing programs such as unemployment compensation, food stamp benefits, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as effective means to assist families and help the economy.

We, as Pastors and our many Catholic Church agencies working with the poor and vulnerable, know at first hand of what we speak. We also know that, in the various proposals and positions being debated, too often the voices poor families and low paid workers are often missing. Allow us to remind one and all that, while their voices are not always heard, poor people have compelling needs that should have a priority claim on our consciences and on the choices and investments which you will make.

Such an approach makes practical good sense because we all know this segment of our citizens will most likely use this money short term within the economy. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke told the House Budget Committee, “There is good evidence that cash that goes to low and moderate income people is more likely to be spent in the near term.” Others, including the January 15, 2008, “Options for Responding to Short-term Economic Weakness,” along with analysts and economists from the Department of Labor and the CBO, report that strengthening unemployment insurance, food stamps and LIHEAP can be effective means for stimulating the economy in a timely and efficient manner.

More importantly there is a moral argument that none of us can escape. A good society is measured by the extent to which those with responsibility attend to the needs of the weaker members, especially those most in need. A good society is one in which all benefit and none are left outside the common concern we carry together. Economic policies that help lower income working families live in decency and with dignity should be a clear and common priority.

Permit me, in the name of the Catholic bishops, to urge the Administration and Congress to act together quickly. Keep in mind that poor working people and their families will be disproportionately hurt by this declining economy.

Be assured of our prayers for all of you as you face this challenge and respond to the needs of all the people of this great land.


With every best wish, I am,

Sincerely,

Most Rev. William Murphy, S.T.D.
Bishop of Rockville Centre
Chairman, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development

U.S. Catholic bishops approve faithful citizenship statement

WASHINGTON – The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) today overwhelmingly approved a statement called Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States. The statement urges Catholics to be involved in public life and to use the values of their faith to shape their political choice. It was approved at the bishops’ general meeting in Baltimore, November 12-15, 2007.

“In this statement, we bishops do not intend to tell Catholics for whom or against whom to vote,” the bishops explain. “Our purpose is to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth. We recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in light of a properly formed conscience, and that participation goes well beyond casting a vote in a particular election.”

The church’s role in helping Catholics to form their consciences is a central theme of the document. “With this foundation,” the bishops explain, “Catholics are better able to evaluate policy positions, party platforms, and candidates’ promises and action in light of the Gospel and the moral and social teaching of the Church in order to help build a better world.”

The bishops affirm their legitimate role in public life. “The obligation to teach about moral values that should shape our lives, including our public lives, is central to [our] mission,” they state. “Our nation’s tradition of pluralism is enhanced, not threatened, when religious groups and people of faith bring their convictions and concerns into public life.”

Respect for the dignity of every human being is a foundation for Catholic teaching about “faithful citizenship.” The statement explains the necessity of opposing actions that are intrinsically wrong, such as abortion and euthanasia, because these actions involve directly andintentionally ending an innocent human life. It also affirms the obligation to promote the common good by combating such threats to human life and dignity as hunger, poverty, racism, unjust immigration policies, and unjust war. “Both opposing evil and doing good are essential obligations.”

The bishops warn of two temptations for Catholics in public life. “The first is a moral equivalence that makes no ethical distinctions between different kinds of issues involving human life and dignity. The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life…is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed.” A second temptation involves “dismissing or ignoring other serious threats to human life and dignity. Racism and other unjust discrimination, torture, the use of the death penalty, resorting to unjust war, war crimes, the failure to respond to those who are suffering from hunger or lack health care, or unjust immigration policies are all serious moral issues that challenge our consciences and require us to act.”

The bishops call Catholics to a different kind of political engagement shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable.” They add, “Participation in political life in light of fundamental moral principles is an essential duty for every Catholic and all people of good will.”

The bishops also acknowledge the challenges faced by Catholic voters. “Catholics may feel politically disenfranchised sensing that no party and too few candidates fully share the Church’s comprehensive commitment to the dignity of the human person.” They add, “As Catholics we are not single issues voters. A candidate’s position on a single issue is not sufficient to guarantee a voter’s support. Yet a candidate’s position on a single issue that involves an intrinsic evil, such as support for legal abortion or the promotion of racism, may legitimately lead a voter to disqualify a candidate from receiving support.”

Despite these challenges, the statement urges Catholics “to become more involved: running for office, working within political parties, and communicating concerns to elected officials.” It suggests that Catholics should be “guided more by our moral convictions than by our
attachment to a political party or interest group.” As they prepare for the elections, the statement says “Catholic voters should use Catholic teaching to examine candidates’ positions on issues and should consider candidates’ integrity, philosophy, and performance.”

According to Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the bishop of Brooklyn who led an broad consultation process to develop the new statement, an extensive effort will be undertaken to distribute the statement as well as a bulletin insert summarizing the statement that was also approved by the bishops. Also planned are a DVD on Faithful Citizenship” and a Web site offering resources for parishes, schools, religious education programs, youth groups, young adult groups, and many others. “But the most important next step will be what we bishops do to teach and lead our people in our dioceses,” DiMarzio stated.

The Faithful Citizenship statement concludes with a “call for a renewed kind of politics:
• Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls;
• Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong;
• Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of narrow interests.
“This kind of political participation,”the bishops claim, “reflects the social teaching of our Church and the best traditions of our nation.”

New website under construction

Las Vegas Social Action Ministry (LVSAM) is in the final development of its webpage and should be published in the coming weeks. So keep checking back at this link.

Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teachings

The Church identifies seven key principles of Catholic Social Teaching that stand today as a guide for furthering the education and understanding of what our response should be to the needs of those in our midst - whether locally or worldwide.

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person - All people are sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. People do not lose dignity because of disability, poverty, age, lack of success, or race. This emphasizes people over things, being over having.
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation - The human person is both sacred and social. We realize our dignity and rights in relationship with others, in community. "We are one body; when one suffers, we all suffer." We are called to respect all of God's gifts of creation, to be good stewards of the earth and each other.
• Rights and Responsibilities - People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and employment. All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others in the wider society and to work for the common good.
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable - The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.
• The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers - People have a right to decent and productive work, fair wages, private property and economic initiative. The economy exists to serve people, not the other way around.
• Solidarity - We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice.
• Care for God's Creation - The goods of the earth are gifts from God. We have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users.