BP Jack McCullough JulieWaters kestrel9000 Maggie Gundersen Sue Prent

Budget Cutting Exercises

by: norsehorse

Thu May 28, 2009 at 22:38:10 PM EDT

(cross-posted from Vermont Watch blog, here)

In light of pending Vermont budget cuts and, depending on what happens with the state budget and, whose budget plan(s) hold sway:

List both ten (10) things you could not manage to do without as well as ten (10) things you could manage to do without.

Then, list both ten (10) things you believe Vermont could not manage to do without as well as ten (10) things you believe Vermont could manage to do without.

While for some, this may prove to be more of a theoretical exercise and, others who are faced with such prioritizing to one degree or another, it is important to weigh the fact that there are those who do not always have such choices.

What to do about such can bring about tough questions, often ones with no easy answers, save the priorities given both when it comes to meeting basic human needs as well as properly maintaining and improving upon the basic infrastructure we as a society collectively depend upon.

Let us hope our state's political leaders and we as a society choose wisely.

norsehorse :: Budget Cutting Exercises

Tags: (All Tags)

Print Friendly View

Send As Email

Budget Cutting Exercises | 2 comments

Update (0.00 / 0)

Having submitted the above as a letter to the editor to various newspaper across the state late last week, it has thus far been published within the Barre - Montpelier Times Argus, here and the Burlington Free Press (found on page 2 of 3), here.

Morgan W. Brown Montpelier, Vermont

by: norsehorse @ Mon Jun 01, 2009 at 04:15:58 AM CDT

My List Thus Far (0.00 / 0)

Save one (1) item listed under what I could manage to do without (listed at bottom of this particular comment post of mine), thus far I have only managed to come up with my own 10 things I could not manage to do without, however that is as much as I have listed to date and, for the most part, somewhat more generally stated: i.e.,

Ten (10) Things I Could Not Manage to Do
Without:

1. Stable shelter: i.e., safe, decent and affordable housing

2. Sufficient income to afford shelter and other basic human needs: i.e., food, etc.

3. Proper nutrition and fluid intake

4. Public transportation within close walking distance to place of residence

5. Human and civil rights protected

6. Being safe from all forms of harm, abuse and violence

7. Living independently on my own terms as well as being able to come and go whenever I choose

8. Meaningful human contact as well as the means to communicate with others when it is not in person contact: e.g., my own laptop computer and access to free wifi access

9. Meaningful activities and occupation of my own choosing

10. Quality of life as well as spirituality, dignity, hope, faith, my own sense of self, beliefs and values, self-
respect

Ten (10) Things I Could Manage to Do Without

1. Living homeless

Concerning the item listed above as far as my own situation goes, additional information can be found, here (via Norsehorse's Home Turf).

Morgan W. Brown Montpelier, Vermont

by: norsehorse @ Tue Jun 02, 2009 at 07:26:33 AM CDT

[ Parent ]