What started as a battle with the Vatican has quickly transformed into a political movement. Sister Simone Campbell and the Nuns on the Bus were busy this summer fighting the Paul Ryan budget. Using their “rock star” status, the nuns have brought a call to action for progressive Catholics to our attention.
Since the conclusion of the Nuns on the Bus tour, Sister Simone has maintained her efforts to shed light on the issues of Representative Paul Ryan’s budget. Ryan’s plan, which includes radical changes such as a call to replace Medicare’s fee-for-service system with government vouchers, has found the support of Republicans Tim Pawlenty and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In response to his support of the plan, Romney has been challenged to spend a day with the nuns and learn about the problems that America’s poor face. The Ryan budget would only add to the problems of America’s poor. The budget, which aims to cut spending by $4.3 trillion and reduce taxes by $4.2 trillion, hurts the most vulnerable and also limits access to health care for women of all ages. Ultimately, those who need the most help would be hurt the most by the plan.
Sister Campbell is outraged at the idea of slashing funding for the poor and cutting taxes for the wealthy in an attempt to limit spending. In response, Campbell and the nuns have created the “faithful budget,” which they summarize as “reasonable revenue for responsible programs.” The Nuns on the Bus are looking to partner with federal government funding to reach people in need. “We don’t do it just with grace, for heaven’s sake, it’s the partnership that makes sense.”
Sister Simone Campbell will join Jennifer Granholm in “The War Room” on Current TV at at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT.
To hear more from Sister Campbell about the Ryan budget and the “faithful budget,” please join us on Twitter and Facebook to continue the discussion, and check out this video from Current’s own Jo Piazza who joined the Nuns on the Bus tour this summer.
