Fw: And so this is Christmas

----- Original Message -----
From: "TrueMajority"

Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 10:48 PM
Subject: And so this is Christmas


Everybody is giving gifts. Big gifts. Little gifts. We give these gifts as
tokens of our love. We're sending and receiving cards, cards that express
our common yearning for peace on Earth, goodwill to all, tidings of kindness
and joy.

And so it is doubly disheartening at this time when the spirit of Christmas
is in the air that we open the newspaper to find:

"U.S. Cutting Food Aid Aimed at Self-Sufficiency"
It turns out that while the number of the world's people who go hungry is
rising for the first time in years, the Bush administration can find no
better way to reduce spending than to cut $600 million from global food aid
programs aimed at helping millions of people climb out of poverty.

That belt-tightening of $600 million doesn't make much of a dent in a
federal discretionary budget of $965 BILLION (it's 0.0001 percent), but in
the developing world it's emergency food to prevent the starvation of
millions, and long-term agricultural development to help people feed even
more people themselves.

Or put another way, it's 1/60th of the $35 BILLION that remains in the
budget to maintain America's Cold War nuclear weapons-equivalent to 150,000
of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima.

This is so outrageous that there's now a BIPARTISAN effort in Congress led
by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Missouri) to convince the administration that
global food aid should not be cut.

Let's make our voices really count this Christmas and give the most
important gift we can, the gift of life for millions of our hungry brothers
and sisters around the world.

And we can make it happen. Forward this e-mail far and wide so that we flood
Congress with faxes and so the world and our government will know that it's
really Christmastime and that many of us are heeding Jesus' haunting words:
"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are
members of my family, you did it to me."

If you are a member of TrueMajority, just click "Reply" and "Send" in your
e-mail program, and we'll send a fax (text below) to your senators and
representative. If you'd like to edit your letter or if this e-mail was
forwarded to you, click this link to send a message .

Merry Christmas from all of us at TrueMajority, with love and appreciation
for allowing us to give voice to your voice.

Aaron, Andrew, Barbara, Ben, Darcy, Dave, Duane, Dusty, Ed, Elliot, Emily,
Gary, Jack, Jason, Marian, Matt, and Natalie

===========================================================

Here's the letter we'll send to your senators and representative:

Dear [Senator/Representative]:

It was recently reported that a last-minute deal cut $600 million out of
programs that help desperately poor people around the world become
self-sufficient. This was a tragic mistake.

In the coming weeks you will vote on a supplemental appropriation to fund
the continuing war in Iraq. The relatively small sum needed to fully fund
these antipoverty programs will strengthen our nation's security and I ask
you to make sure it is included in this bill. Furthermore, it appears the
president may continue or even deepen these cuts in next year's budget
proposal. No matter what the initial proposal, please work to fully fund
these programs.

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Sincerely,
(We'll put your name and address here.)



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