In the dawn of their November triumph, drunk with power from having captured the Senate and the House, Republicans vowed to lead a revolution against federal spending. They hardened their hearts and blocked their ears to the cries of the sick and the poor.
Welcome to the revolution, Chicago.
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“It’s distressing on our residents,” says McCormick. “If you listen to the beats of the drum it is clear that we’re very vulnerable, even if specific proposals change day to day.”
What’s surprising is that the Right would go after an organization like Bonaventure House, a model of privately managed charity.
“Our model is independent living. Each resident has his or her own room. But there are group rooms and common meals and we organize outings to museums or parks or even Great America.”
In February a House subcommittee chaired by North Shore congressman John Porter voted to cut $13 million from Ryan White programs. But that money was restored by a vote of the House Appropriations Committee, according to Dave Kohn, Porter’s press secretary.
“I don’t like to argue dollars and cents when the issue should be about compassion,” says McCormick. “But it costs about $85 a day to keep a resident at Bonaventure House. The average cost in a hospital is about $1,000. If the federal budget cuts close beds in places like Bonaventure House, that just means more people will be going to the emergency rooms. People are sick. Cutting federal funds will not cure AIDS–they will have to go somewhere. In the name of saving money, the Republicans will wind up spending more money. I fear that in today’s climate we won’t win much support talking about the needs of sick people. Maybe they’ll hold off on the cuts if they think it will save them some money.”
