This page was last updated on September 26, 2011.
Fighting poverty; Bruce F. Simmeth, Executive director - United Way of Beaver County; Beaver County Times; September 25, 2011.
This is the at least the 13th letter from Mr. Simmeth since June 2005 lobbying for more government redistribution of income/wealth. If you look at my previous critiques of his letters (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here), you’ll find Mr. Simmeth tends to overstate alleged cuts and requests huge increases. In one case, Mr. Simmeth appeared to request a spending increase of from five to 10 times. In January 2006, Mr. Simmeth wanted federal taxpayers to increase their funding of the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $2,000,000,000. I did not critique that letter (“Hike LIHEAP funding”; January 24, 2006) and it is no longer on the BCT website.
While I applaud Mr. Simmeth’s efforts to help the less fortunate among us, I oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to fund any of these efforts. It’s wrong to confiscate income/wealth from one person and give it to another, regardless of good intentions. Further, it can be the difference between a family remaining self-sufficient and requiring assistance.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“Although the recession officially ended in June 2009, we have now learned through a Census Bureau report that nearly one in six Americans or about 15 percent of our population are now living at or below the poverty level.”
[RWC] Some of the following are several years old, but I suggest you read the following papers.
Understanding Poverty in the United States: Surprising Facts About America's Poor (Backgrounder #2606); Robert E. Rector and Rachel Sheffield; The Heritage Foundation; September 13, 2011.
Understanding Poverty in America (Backgrounder #1713); Robert E. Rector and Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.; The Heritage Foundation; January 5, 2004.
Understanding Poverty in America: What the Census Bureau doesn’t count; Robert E. Rector; The Heritage Foundation; September 11, 2009.
Poverty and Inequality; The Heritage Foundation.
The Data on Poverty and Health Insurance You’re Not Reading (WebMemo #556); Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.; The Heritage Foundation; August 27, 2004.
“At the same time, the Emergency Food & Shelter Program (EFSP) was reduced in funding by Congress from $200 million to $120 million which has had a strong impact on providing emergency services in our local communities. As the chairman of the EFSP Board in Beaver County, we saw our funding reduced from $75,209 to $20,985 which will make it even more difficult to meet the basic needs of our people for food, shelter, clothing, rent, mortgage and utility assistance.
“We will be working with our congressional representatives to restore this important program to its full funding level of $200 million for 2012 on behalf of the many families and individuals who have received these emergency services.”
[RWC] There is nothing compassionate about the government taking from one family’s paycheck to give to someone who didn’t earn it. There is nothing altruistic or charitable about telling government to rob from Peter to pay Paul. Compassion is when a person freely chooses to use his own paycheck to help someone in need.
© 2004-2011 Robert W. Cox, all rights reserved.