Rep. Jan Schakowsky suggests Republican budget violates Bible

Rep. Jan Schakowsky suggests Republican budget violates Bible:

Democrats can read the Bible too

Via The Hill, Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois last week turned the Republicans' love of citing the Bible against them in some clever Passover-inspired jujitsu:

Schakowsky noted that at Seder, the feast marking the beginning of the Jewish holiday Passover, the youngest person asks four questions in an effort to understand the holiday. In keeping with that format, Schakowsky suggested four questions that could be asked of Republicans to describe their budget.

See, it's not just Republicans and conservatives who can quote Biblical passages for the "authority" to hate gay people, deny health care to women, or give tax cuts to the rich. Democrats can play that game too:

First, Schakowsky suggested asking Republicans, "Why does your budget resolution protect and indeed increase the wealth of the already wealthy at the expense of everyone else?" She then implied that the GOP budget goes against Proverbs 22:16, which says, "He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich — both come to poverty." [...]
Secondly, Schakowsky asked, "Why does your budget resolution take away the Medicare guarantee?" and then quoted Leviticus 19:32, "You shall give due honor and respect to the elderly."
She said Republicans failed to live up to that passage by proposing $810 billion in cuts to Medicaid over the next decade.
Thirdly, she asked, "Why does your budget resolution increase defense spending while cutting investments in our children and families?" Here, she relied on Proverbs 16:11, "A just balance and scales are the Lord's." [...]
And last, she asked, "Why does your budget resolution take away food from the poor?" To back up this question, she quoted 1 John 3:17 18, which states, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Schakowsky isn't alone, of course, in suggesting that the Republican budget does not comply with Biblical law. In March, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called on Congress to pass a budget that addresses "the needs of the hungry, the homeless and the unemployed first" and "reflect[s] the shared responsibility of government and other institutions to promote the common good of all, especially 'workers and families who struggle to live in dignity in difficult economic times.'" Further:

The bishops voiced support for moves to strengthen programs that help the poor and vulnerable, such as Pell Grants and improved workforce training and development. They also opposed moves negatively impacting poor families such as increasing the minimum rent that can be charged to families receiving housing assistance and a proposal to eliminate funding for the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The bishops also made the case for protecting programs that help the poor internationally.

Hmm ... so in other words, the Republican plan to eliminate Pell Grants and "programs that help the poor and vulnerable" is in direct violation of what the bishops have argued is a moral obligation.
And no, Republican Rep. (and theater producer) Darrell Issa has not yet invited the bishops to appear before Congress to discuss whether the government is violating the bishops' religious liberty by ignoring these clearly defined priorities.
It is utterly absurd to suggest that our government should be writing its laws according to religious doctrine. We're not a theocracy, after all, no matter how much conservatives love the idea of Christian Sharia. But if that's the game Republicans want to play, picking and choosing their favorite portions of the Bible to support their agenda, Democrats should follow Schakowsky's lead to show that two can play that game.