DC and the Budget

[fabrisse]

The budget proposal has riders. One pertains to inmates at Guantanamo.

The other two pertain to The District of Columbia and how we are allowed to spend our own tax dollars. Let me repeat that: The riders are on how we spend DC -- not Federal -- tax revenue.

The first would forbid our allowing any abortions on state Medicaid. The poorest women in the city would not be allowed to choose to terminate a pregnancy.

The second forbids us from funding a needle exchange program. Again, this is with our own tax revenue. Five percent of our population is HIV positive. The last time the GOP got this rider passed -- in 2005/6 -- the rate of infection went up substantially.

Please contact your representative and senators and ask them not to use the lives of the poorest people in a city without representation as a political football. Please. I'm begging.

Comments

[disbelief11.livejournal.com]

Good grief! I detest how things can be tacked onto bills, proposals, etc., as leverage points.

[wadjet-theperv.livejournal.com]

I'm shocked that's even possible in a country where even the laws change from state to state. It's outrageous.