How does the budget affect you?

The federal budget affects all of our daily lives. Below are stories from ECAP supporters about how the budget has impacted them.

How has the federal budget affected you or someone you know? Click here to share your story.

"I have been a low wage worker for over 35 years. My children were in daycare as early as 2 weeks old. My work hours, as almost 70% of low wage jobs are, were odd hours ~ working weekends, late at night or very early in the morning. At those hours, it was difficult, if not impossible and expensive to find childcare. I believed that if I worked hard, I would someday find success but I learned that hard work, showing "team work" and giving my all at the expense of my children, yielded me nothing except a broken body and I might add at times a broken heart."

-Cat Sullivan, Seattle, Washington

"Some people argue that it should not be the government's problem to take care of me and my children. I would answer that I am following "society's rules", and yet that isn't enough for me to do it on my own. I have worked since I was 14 years old and I have paid taxes on that income. I am a strong, productive member of this community, yet because I had children without fully establishing my career and had them with a man who is not financially responsible, I am bearing the brunt of a society that does not embrace single mothers. I would argue that in the United States, with its immense financial resources, we have an obligation to make sure every person has health insurance, access to childcare so they can work, and food on their tables. I don't think this is asking too much."

-Harmony Langford, Flint, Michigan

"I work in a winter emergency shelter. Virtually every one of the people there is in some way hurt by the budget cuts of the last six years. Substance abuse programs have closed, access to mental and physical health care is severely limited, and the waiting time for a Section 8 housing voucher is now over four years. New Hampshire has over 10,000 households on waiting lists for vouchers. "Because of these cuts, we are spending money foolishly. Someone with untreated mental health issues can't get or hold a job, so can't ‘pull themselves up.' It is a vicious spiral. Our emergency rooms are full of people who can't get in to see a doctor because they have no insurance and very low income. And that costs way more than doing it right in the first place."

-Martha Yeager, New Hampshire

"I was working my new McJob with the state and on probation as a new worker and pregnant at the time. I had to arise at 4 in the morning to catch the bus to work. At work, I got a call from the school nurse telling me my son was sick and I had to come get him. I explained to her that I had to make arrangements to get someone to fill in my position and then take the bus to come get him and it could be 2 hours or more before I got there. I did not mention I could be in trouble and lose my job for leaving in the middle of my shift. There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. The nurse said, "Don't you love your son?" I was pregnant at the time with my second son and working days and weekends so I could keep my medical coverage for this birth and this job was important to keep a roof over the heads of my family as well as provide medical care for all of us. I put the phone down and cried. I knew the nurse was only protecting my child, she was there with a sick little boy who wanted his mom and I could not be there, but I was trapped in what I had to do that was considered more valuable than he was."

-Cat Sullivan, Seattle, Washington

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How does the budget affect you?

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