NCJW Responds to the State of the Union - Positive Goals Overshadowed by Troubling Policies
February 3, 2005, Washington, DC, -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), while pleased with the plans outlined in the State of the Union address that focus on improving education and health care, is nevertheless troubled by proposals that would slash domestic programs, privatize Social Security, expand faith-based initiatives, ban gay marriage, and pave the way for the continued packing of the federal courts. NCJW President Marsha Atkind released the following statement:
"We share President Bush's belief that we must 'build a better world for our children and grandchildren.' We applaud many of his initiatives in health and education, such as efforts to make college more affordable, to provide a community health center in every poor county, and to reauthorize the Ryan White Act, which funds health and support services for people living with HIV in the US. We hope he will follow through on these promises with adequate funding. And we endorse his goal of renewing 'the commitment of our nation to the guiding ideal of liberty for all.' Unfortunately, much of the rest of his speech outlined policies that would neither build a better or world nor strengthen liberty."The President's assertion that Social Security is headed for bankruptcy is alarmist. His plan to divert two-thirds of employee contributions to private accounts does nothing to ensure Social Security's long-term solvency because it adds no money to fund future benefits. His assertion – that his plan will work while payroll taxes stay the same, lower income retirees are protected, and investment income is safeguarded from fees and market risk – is not credible. In fact the President's plan would actually make Social Security's problems much worse.
"While again pledging to make permanent his multi-trillion dollar tax cuts for the richest, the President promised to hold discretionary spending below the rate of inflation and to make unspecified cuts in 150 programs. We await the details with trepidation.
"The President's stated commitment to freedom and liberty at home is inconsistent with his support of a constitutional amendment to ban gay and lesbian Americans from the benefits of marriage. It is also inconsistent with his continued attempts to pack the federal judiciary with judges who would restrict our fundamental freedoms, including reproductive rights. And it is belied by his renewed efforts to funnel federal tax dollars to faith-based social programs.
"We look forward to working with the administration on those issues that unite us. At the same time, we pledge to renew our efforts to fight incursions on our fundamental freedoms and to support alternatives that truly empower Americans and improve our world."
NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.
Contact:
Sammie Moshenberg
202 296 2588; sammie@ncjwdc.org