is tired, but brought her soapbox.

so I've been trying to follow what's happening in the world as best I can, and I must say a lot of what I hear/see/read makes me want to bury my head in a mountain of diapers and Pat the Bunny. here are a few of the things under my skin:

I would consider myself rather fiscally conservative so it's sort of nice for people to *finally* be discussing balancing budgets, though the outrage and posturing about it is profoundly annoying to me after everyone and their bi-partisan dog went to everlasting war and made the equally bipartisan choice to bail out white collar criminals in banks and on Wall Street (most of whom still have their jobs and perks and faced no real consequence for nearly tanking the world economy, btw), but my conscience simply can't get behind plans to make cuts in such services as energy discounts to senior citizens, disabled children and mental health funding, and WIC in the name of 'balancing the budget'.

I mean, how big of a fiscal dent are you really making when you're only shifting mental health costs, and even increasing them on the backside? Not to mention putting people at risk? "Cutting mental health means that costs only get shifted to emergency rooms, schools, police, local courts, jails and prisons," said NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) executive director Michael Fitzpatrick. "The taxpayer still pays the bill."

WIC is likely taking a 10 percent cut to it's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. While a surplus in 2010 due to lower participation and expected food cost could float them through 2011, some of the defenses of the cut make me want to shake someone. The one that really kills me is that some think Women Infants and Children is too quick to encourage formula-feeding, which is more expensive and not as good for the babies, the women should really be breastfeeding, blah blah blah. Here's the thing - breastfeeding is hard. It's hard for women who are fortunate enough to stay home with their children, many of whom still don't produce enough milk and choose to supplement. It's really hard when you have a job or two, and you may or may not have access to breastpumps and 20-30 minute unpenalized breaks in your workday. It's especially hard if you're poor and can't feed yourself well, since that's how we make milk and all. We cannot castigate women, the majority of whom are doing the best they can to take care of their families, by telling them they don't deserve help with formula because they should really be breastfeeding and trying harder. Jerks. They had the babies you want them to have and many of them are out pulling themselves up by those bootstraps we all love to talk about, and you're going to cut funding to their food program and somehow insinuate that they aren't trying hard enough? Nice.

and since I'm there, I'm saddened that Planned Parenthood is being cut. I used a family planning clinic in college, a PP in grad school, and one when I moved here. it was an easy choice - they used a sliding scale and I could get my well woman exam way cheaper than going to a doctor. plus, my birth control pills were much cheaper, which I got on first at 22 before my wedding and stayed on for years because they regulated everything so well and supposedly helped with my ovarian cysts. not that that's here or there or anyone's real beeswax, but there seem to be morality questions surrounding the services PP provides. birth control pills??? why would a woman want birth control pills??? I understand that people are emotionally very charged about abortion and that's one of the services PP provides, but there are limits to how taxpayer money may be spent with regard to abortions and that's not all they do. So, while some pro-life people may feel positively about a cut to PP please understand that what's really being cut are other important, affordable health services to women. and yes, it's important for women to go to the lady doctor every year and be responsible for their bodies. it chaffs my hide that the personal choices of men don't seem to be put through near the scrutiny women face.

and teachers. wow. teachers are taking a super-beating right now. I know what - let's make life worse for them by making them out to be part-time slackers, lowering their pay/benefits, and increasing their class sizes (or just firing them outright) and watch what happens to the public education we all say we prize so highly. I encourage you to watch this lovely clip from Jon Stewart as he exposes the lavish lifestyle of public teachers. warning, there's a little bleeped out language. but I think it's pretty great.

in short, there are a lot of women, young children, and disadvantaged persons to be affected here, and I think it screams where the real priorities of our leaders lie. if we're really people who are pro-life, shouldn't we be concerned with protecting our citizens first, especially those that truly need it? What do we communicate by these types of cuts? Will private corporations step in when government fails? Will churches? I suppose we'll see. I know many people think that would be best. It occurred to me the other day that, just as we tithe to our church, so others consider the taxes they pay to be a tithe of sorts, to be used for the betterment of others. I don't really know why I write that... maybe because I can understand it better than I could a couple of years ago.

there. I've lost a little sleep but it's good to get that off my chest.

-m.y.