March 19, 2017
Dear Mr. President,
So, here's my
long-awaited-don't-cut-social-programs-letter.
I've drafted this letter to you at least 3 or 4 times but every version
ends up in the trash because basically I care about social programs for social
and ethical
reasons, but you don't. So my primary
arguments won't work on you. You and I
have different moral philosophies (obvi).
While I have a soul and care about the well being of my fellow humans,
you are basically morally bankrupt and care about nothing except furthering
your own interests. But you are a
businessman. So let's just look at this
from a purely business, dollars and cents perspective.
Your proposed cuts are about $3 billion. You need $51 billion for your defense
initiatives. That means you are about
94% short of what you need. In other
words, the social programs you aim to cut are just a drop in the bucket (almost
literally). Eliminating them doesn't
even come close to getting you what you want.
And here's a people-centered way to think about it: eliminating these social programs
disproportionately affects the middle and lower classes, the very people whose
backs you rose to power on. You know…your constituents. Remember them? They're the people you need to stay in
office. The people you need to get
re-elected in four years. These social programs go a long way toward helping
the people who need it the most.
Politics is a circle you see; you help the people, then the people vote
for you. And round and round it goes.
When you use words like "non-defensive discretionary
funds" it's easy to forget what those funds actually do. They feed people. They house people. They educate people. These are the moral imperatives of a
democratic government. And this is what
you are in charge of.
Sincerely,
Amy "The People" Beaton
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