Every choice our country makes is a statement of who we are and what we prioritize. At its heart a budget is a moral document. For people of faith, our priorities must always lie with the poor and most vulnerable. Extending the Bush tax cuts for the most fortunate while ending unemployment benefits and cutting back services for the poor does not reflect the values of faithful Americans. For that reason, we urge you to let tax cuts for the most fortunate expire as scheduled at the end of the year.
Almost 50 million Americans wonder where their next meal is coming from. One in 5 children live in poverty and many Americans are out of work. At the same time, there are more millionaires in our country today than at the peak of the market in 2007. In the last 30 years, the wealthiest 1% have seen their incomes increase almost 300% while regular Americans are worse off.
We have a responsibility to balance our budgets. We have an equal responsibility to make sure that burden is carried by those who can most afford it. Giving benefits to the rich while denying them to the poor is a sin. As citizens of this country and people of faith, we have an obligation to those in need. The book of Proverbs puts it quite simply: "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich--both come to poverty" (Prov 22:16 NIV).
We believe that our own good is tied up into the common good; that we will meet the challenges of today not just as individuals but together as a nation. We are grateful for the leadership of the PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES who have stepped forward to ask that their tax cuts expire. We hope you will heed their counsel.
May God bless the leadership of you and the Congress, and may God bless America to be a blessing to the world.
Sincerely,
Rev. Katharine Henderson
President
Auburn Theological Seminary
Michael Adams
Director, Advocacy and Church Relations
ChildServ
Dr. Frank M. Alton
Executive Director
Prepare the Future California
Lisa Anderson
Associate Director of Educational Programs
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rev. Anne Andert
Pastor
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. J.C. Austin
Director of the Center for Christian Leadership
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rabbi Justus N. Baird
Director of the Center for Multifaith Education
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rev. Judith Brown Bryan
Spiritual Director
Clarence Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell
Chair
Global Peace Initiative of Women
Noel Castellanos
CEO
CCDA
Eva Cavaleri
Priest
Episcopal Church
Stephanie Chandler
Parishoner
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Rev. Robert Chase
Founding Director
Intersections International
Ernest Clark
Pastor
Guerrant Mem. Priesbyterian Church
Charles L. Cohen
Professor of History and Religious Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Rev. Dr. Art Cribbs
Pastor
San Marino Congregational
Rev. Chuck Currie
Minister
United Church of Christ
Rev. Tracy Daub
University Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Richard L. Deats
United Methodist Church
Ayfa Des
Member
Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology Muslim Students Association
Rev. Brandon W. Duran
Pacific Northwest Conference
United Church of Christ
Julie Dybdahl
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ann Arbor
Dr. Bobbi Dykema
United Theological Seminary
Rev. Allyn Foster
Presbyterian
Bishop Andrew Gentry
All Saints and Sorts Church
Joel Gilbertson-White
Ministerial candidate
Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Wes Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary
Reformed Church in America
Yosef Goldman
Jewish Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Bob Gross
Pastor
Lake Avenue United Church of Christ
David P. Gushee
Distinguished Professor of Christian Ethics
Mercer University
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth S. Hall
Presbyterian Minister
Rev. Fred L Hammond
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa
Michael Harvey
Executive Director
Conference of Baptist Minister
Rev. Jim Wallis
Chief Executive Officer
Sojourners
Charles P. Henderson
Executive Editor
CrossCurrents
Rev. Linda Higgins
United Church of Christ
Rev. Anne S. Howard
Executive Director
The Beatitudes Society
James E. Hug
President
Center of Concern
Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D.
Co-Founder
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual
Rev. Dr. Joel C. Hunter
Senior Pastor
Northland – A Church Distributed
Christie Iverson
St. George's Episcopal Church
Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Director, Ma'aseh
The Center for Jewish Social Justice Education
Rev. John Janka
United Methodist Church
Rev. Ayanna Johnson
Director of Community Life
Chicago Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Serene Jones
President and Roosevelt Professor of Theology
Union Theological Seminary
Rabbi Irwin Kula
President
National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership
Kimberly Knight
The Beatitudes Society
Rev. Peter Laarman
Executive Director
Progressive Christians Uniting
Rev. Dr. Jacqueline J. Lewis
Senior Minister
Middle Collegiate Church
Rev. Michael Livingston
Director, Poverty Initiative
National Council of Churches
Rev. Katy Lloyd
United Church of Christ
Rev. Drew Ludwig
Lafayette Ave Presbyterian Church
Michael Mc Carthy
Emeritus Professor of Philosophy
Vassar College
Rev. Roger McClellen
Progressive Christian Alliance
Rev. Bryan McFarland
Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Rev. M. Bruce McKay
Episcopalian
Rev. Christianne McKee
Pastor
St. Luke's UCC
Dr. Thomas R. McKibbens
Senior Minister
First Baptist Church
Rev. Deborah Meinke
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Rev. Sharon Moe
United Methodist Church
Rev. Carroll H. & Mrs. Janet L. Morony
Pastor
American Baptist Churches (retired)
Dr. Lucinda Mosher
Interreligious Relations Consultant
Rev. Dr. Joseph Murphy
United Church of Christ (retired)
Rev. Rich Nathan
Senior Pastor
Akbar Noman
Professor
Columbia University
Rev. Jane A. Page
Minister
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro
Rev. Jan Van Pelt
UCC clergy of Seattle
Polly Peterson
First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord
Rev. Jennifer Butler
Executive Director
Faith in Public Life
Jean Perkins
First Baptist Church
Rev. Cecil Charles Prescod
Director, Christian Education and Youth Ministries
Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Rev. Dr. C. J. Pressler
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
Marjorie Procter-Smith
LeVan Professor of Christian Worship
Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
Rev. Carol Rahn
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
George Regas
Rector Emeritus
All Saints Church
Carol Reynolds
Pastor
First Congregational Church, UCC
Rabbi Elizabeth Richman
Program Director & Rabbi in Residence
Jews United for Justice
Rev. Rachel S.
Pastor
Presbyterian (U.S.A.)
Rabbi Joanna Samuels
Advancing Women
Rev. Donna Schaper
Senior Minister
Judson Memorial Church
Rev. Charles Schwab
UCC
Rabbi Bruce Seltzer
Amherst College
Rev. Alexander E. Sharp
Executive Director
Protestants for the Common Good
Dr. Ronald J. Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action
Marnie Singer
Ministerial candidate
Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Virginia Smith
PCUSA
Rev. Paul Sorrentino
Director of Religious Life
Amherst College
Rev. Samuel H. Speers
Director, Religious & Spiritual Life Office
Vassar College
Rev. Stephen H. Swanson
Pastor
St Paul Lutheran Church of Villa Park
Rev. Stephen H. Swanson
Pastor
St Paul Lutheran Church of Villa Park
Kelli Thompson
Alumni
Fuller Theological Seminary
Rev. Coleen Tully
Priest
St. James Episcopal Church
Rev. John H. Vaughn
Executive Vice President
Auburn Theological Seminary
Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky
Jewish Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Jon M. Walton
Pastor
First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York
Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins
General Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Mark Wendorf
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rev. Bettu Westhoven
United Methodist clergy (retired)
Rev. Tom Williams
Minister
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Yorty
Pastor
Westminster Presbyterian Church
*affiliations are for identification purposes only
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Patriotic millionaires call to end tax cuts for millionaires