Budget priorities reflect fundamental values
better than any hollow rhetoric does.
You have reported (7/11/03) that California
Senate Republicans have proposed cutting "optional benefits"
for Medi-Cal recipients: State Senator Richard Ackerman
(R-Irvine) even dismisses as "Cadillac care" such things as
hospice care, for the dying; optometry and hearing aids, for our
most precious senses; and physical therapy, which from my own
experience and that of my father not only alleviates much
suffering but also prevents further medical expenses -- cutting
such programs not only reflects a contempt for the basic value
of human life but also falls into the category of "penny wise,
pound foolish".
I and other moderate voters with whom I have
spoken prefer the budget proposed by our much maligned Governor:
Spreading the burdens with a more balanced approach, of less
radical spending cuts, a modest hike in the sales tax, and an
increase in the income tax for those at the very top.
The economy of our entire nation is weak; the
federal government and almost every state are facing a budget
crisis. As always, California can help lead the way to
prosperity, by our "putting our money where our mouth is" -- having our budget priorities reflect our fundamental values.