A D VA N C E P R A I S E F O R Women and the U.S Budget Jane Midgely says that women are the “shock absorbers” when essential government services are cut Due to the impacts of national policies, they have to be money and budget wizards at the household level, keeping their families together throughout economic ups and downs; to add insult to injury, their unpaid work doesn’t show up in any national accounts Women and the U.S Budget is a tool to enable ordinary women to insert their values and common sense into the process of determining how our public resources are gathered and spent — MEIZHU LUI, Executive Director, United for a Fair Economy If only all the members of Congress and all the TV shouters would take the time to read this book Women and the U.S Budget is an indispensable resource from the woman who pioneered the “woman’s budget” concept It’s for all of us who believe in using our national funds for social needs, global justice, democracy and peace This is a book to have on hand while you read the newspaper or watch the news, and it’s most certainly a book to bring along when you meet your Congressional representatives! — MARY DAY KENT, executive director, US Section, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom For those who thought it to be impossible, read Women and the U.S Budget — you’ll find an entertaining, clear and engaging explanation about what is important about our national budget and tax policy, how it affects women every day, and how US policy fits into the big picture of world economic growth Every woman who wants to give children a good start in life and make this world a better place to live needs to read this book — HEIDI HARTMANN, President, Institute for Women’s Policy Research NEW SOCIETY PUBLISHERS To my parents, Grant and Marsha Midgley Cataloging in Publication Data: A catalog record for this publication is available from the National Library of Canada Copyright © 2005 by Jane Midgley All rights reserved Cover design by Diane McIntosh Images: Comstock Images Printed in Canada First printing July 2005 Paperback ISBN: 0-86571-525-4 Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Women and the U.S Budget should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to: New Society Publishers P.O Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada 1-800-567-6772 New Society Publishers’ mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision We are committed to doing this not just through education, but through action We are acting on our commitment to the world’s remaining ancient forests by phasing out our paper supply from ancient forests worldwide This book is one step toward ending global deforestation and climate change It is printed on acid-free paper that is 100% old growth forest-free (100% post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free, and printed with vegetable-based, low-VOC inks For further information, or to browse our full list of books and purchase securely, visit our website at: www.newsociety.com NEW SOCIETY PUBLISHERS www.newsociety.com Contents ❖ Acknowledgments xi Foreword xiii Introduction xvii Chapter 1: Women and Abundance Part One: Budget Basics 19 Chapter 2: Where Does the Money Come From? 21 Chapter 3: Where Does the Money Go? 43 Chapter 4: Debt or Surplus? 65 Chapter 5: Who Decides? 81 Part Two: Connecting the Dots 101 Chapter 6: The Budget and the US Economy 103 Chapter 7: The Budget and the Global Economy 125 Part Three: Creating the Future 141 Chapter 8: A New Budget for the United States 143 Chapter 9: What You Can Do 159 ix 190 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t Heilbroner, Robert L., and Lester C Thurow Economics Explained Simon & Schuster, 1982 Kennedy, Magrit Interest and Inflation-Free Money Permaculture Institute Publications, 1988 OMB Watch “The Budget Surplus Comes from Cuts in Discretionary Spending” [online] [Cited April 20, 2004] Article on OMB Watch website, July 7, 1999 Orszag, Peter, and Robert Greenstein “Federal Debt: What Matters and Why” [online] [Cited June 20, 2004] Report for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, February 22, 1999 Shaviro, Daniel Do Deficits Matter? University of Chicago Press, 1997 United States Government The Citizens Guide to the Federal Budget [online] [Cited January 10, 2004] 2003 Guide and earlier years available at Chapter Architect of the Capitol “The Statue of Freedom” [online] [Cited October 10, 2004] Description of the history and characteristics of the statue Atkins, Scott Eric “The Pilgrims in the Capitol” [online] [Cited October 15, 2004] Part of a work completed for the Capitol Project, from the American Studies group at the University of Virginia Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (P.L 67-13; 42 Stat 20-27) Center for Responsive Politics “2004 Election: Incumbent Advantage” [online] [Cited March 22, 2005] Fact sheet, n.d Center for Responsive Politics “Financial Services: Top Industries Giving to Committee Members” [online] [Cited March 22, 2005] Information on donations from 2004, n.d Center for Voting and Democracy “Under-representation in the U.S.” [online] [Cited October 15, 2004] A section of “The Feminist Case for PR,” July 15, 2004 Congressional Research Service “The Committee System in the US Congress.” Report #95-591 GOV, May 10, 1995 Congressional Research Service “Congress: Sources of Legislative Proposals.” Report #96-663 GOV, August 2, 1996 Domhoff, G William The Power Elite and the State: How Policy is Made in America Aldine, 1998 S o u r c e s 191 Domhoff, G William, and Richard L Zemiegenhoff Diversity in the Power Elite: Have Women and Minorities Reached the Top? Yale University Press, 1998 Greider, William One World Ready or Not Simon & Schuster, 1997 Guinier, Lani “Making Every Vote Count” [online] [Cited October 20, 2004] Posted on the Miners Canary website (a version of the article first appeared in The Nation magazine), n.d House Committee on the Budget “Basics of the Budget Process: A Briefing Paper” [online] [Cited November 30, 2004] House Budget Committee website, February 2001 National Voting Rights Institute “Seeking A Fair Democratic Process: The Ohio 2004 Recount” [online] [Cited December 10, 2004] Update on NVRI efforts, n.d Robinson, Randall The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks Plume Books, 2001 (See also www.randallrobinson.com/debtexc.html) Chapter AFL-CIO “It’s Time for Working Women to Earn Equal Pay” [online] [Cited March 20, 2005] Section of AFL-CIO website with data and action regarding pay equity, n.d Coalition of Labor Union Women “Pay Equity” [online] [Cited March 20, 2005] CLUW information and programs for pay equity, January 26, 2005 Elson, Diane “Gender-Neutral, Gender-Blind, or Gender-Sensitive Budgets? Changing the Conceptual Framework to Include Women’s Empowerment and the Economy of Care” (report prepared as part of the Preparatory Country Mission to Integrate Gender into National Budgetary Policies and Procedures) Commonwealth Secretariat, 1996 Greider, William Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country Simon & Schuster, 1989 Henderson, Nell “Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.7%; Employers Added Just 1,000 New Jobs in December.” The Washington Post January 9, 2004 OMB Watch “States Struggle to Fund Medicaid” [online] [Cited March 23, 2005] Fact sheet using figures from the National Conference of State Legislatures, August 11, 2003 United Kingdom, Office of National Statistics “Time and Use Data in the Household Satellite Account: October 2000” [online] [Cited December 10, 2004] Report on economic impact of unpaid work, October 2000 192 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t Waring, Marilyn Counting for Nothing: What Men Value and What Women are Worth University of Toronto Press, 1999 “Wealth.” Encarta Encyclopedia [CD Rom] Microsoft, 2000 Wolff, Edward “The Wealth Divide: The Growing Gap in the United States between the Rich and the Rest” [online] [Cited March 23, 2005] Multinational Monitor 24, no 5, May 2003. Chapter Ambrose, Soren “Activists Target IMF, World Bank on Their 60th Birthday” [online] [Cited August 23, 2004] In Economic Justice News Online 7, no 2, April 2004 Budlender, Debbie “Review of Gender Budget Initiatives.” Report prepared for Community Agency for Social Enquiry (Johannesburg, South Africa), 1999 Available online Committee on National Statistics “Designing Nonmarket Accounts for the United States: Interim Report” [online] [Cited November 16, 2004] Summary of a book published by National Academies Press, 2003 Community Services Block Grant web page [online] [Cited December 10, 2004] Administered by the Office of Community Services, US Department of Health and Human Services, February 1, 2002 Economic Policy Institute “NAFTA at Seven: Impact on Workers in All Three Nations.” EPI briefing paper, 2001 Available online Federal Reserve Board Statistics: Releases and Historical Data [online] [Cited August 25, 2004] A list of all statistical releases from the Federal Reserve board of governors, n.d George, Susan “A Short History of Neo-Liberalism.” Paper presented at the Conference on Economic Sovereignty in a Globalising World, March 24–26, 1999 Jubilee 2000 Coalition “Carrying the Burden” [online] [Cited September 5, 2004] Article on women and the debt crisis, n.d Kroft, Steve “All in the Family” [online] [Cited September 10, 2004] Broadcast on 60 Minutes, CBS News, September 2003 New Zealand, Office of Statistics “New Zealand Time Use Survey, 1999” [online] [November 30, 2004] Article based on New Zealand’s first timeuse survey, April 2000 S o u r c e s 193 Public Citizen “World Trade Organization (WTO)” [online] [Cited September 15, 2004] Announcement of new book on WTO, 2004 Swirski, Barbara “What is a Gender Audit?” [online] [Cited September 10, 2004] Report from the Adva Center, August 2002 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Economic and Social Development “Economic Statistics” [online] [Cited November 30, 2004] Web index of international statistics, November 2004 World Bank Group “United States Data Profile” [online] [Cited October 20, 2004] Profile of economic indicators, August 2004 Chapter Bartle, John, and Marilyn Marks Rubin “Gender Budgeting: Looking Through a New Lens.” Public Administration Review (forthcoming) Cavanaugh, Cathy “Aurora Online with Marilyn Waring” [online] [Cited September 20, 2004] Interview with the author of Counting for Nothing: What Men Value and What Women are Worth, January 1998 International Budget Project “The Participatory Budget Process in Brazil” [online] [Cited March 28, 2005] Transcript of workshop with Joao Sucupira and Leo Mello, February 24, 1999 Lewitt, David “Porto Alegre’s Budget Of, By, and For the People” [online] [Cited March 28, 2005] YES! Magazine, Winter 2003 Zinn, Howard A People’s History of the United States Harper Perennial, 1980 Index ❖ appropriation: bills, 92–93, 94; continuing resolution (CR), 179; definition, 90, 177; legal authority, 53 appropriations committees, 91–93, 177 assets, 1–2, 79 Australia (care economy study), 153 authorization, 90, 177 authorization committees, 90–91, 177 A abortion, 135 abundance, 146, 147 accounting methods: off-budget / on-budget, 46, 47; and tax laws, 21–22, 31 activism: dreamstorm, 144–145, 161; Legislative Theater, 162; questions and exercises, 162–165; small steps, 159–160; strategies, 152–157; taking action, 161–162; see also resources affirmative action policy, 10; see also discrimination African American women: discrimination, 3, 9; and Medicaid, 15; and poverty, 3, 11, 39, 55; public sector jobs, 12 Agency for International Development (AID), 133 Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), allocations, 89, 177 Ambrose, Soren, 127 American Express Corp., 14 American International Group Inc., 14 Amott, Teresa L., Annan, Kofi, 126 B balanced budget, 65, 66–67 balance of payments, 126 banking: Federal Reserve, 26, 111–116, 180; international institutions, 125–129 Bartle, John R., 152–153 Beijing Declaration and a Platform for Action, 136–137, 155 block grants funding, 110–111 Blumenthal, Richard, 59 Boal, Augusto, 143, 162 bonds, 70, 177 Bretton Woods Conference, 125–126 Bristol-Myers Squibb, 59–60 budget, balanced, 65, 66–67 budget, definition, 2, 177 budget, federal: and democracy, 195 196 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t 95–96; and disaster relief, 5; discretionary spending graph, 51; documents website, 25, 49; expenses by category, 49, 50; and full employment, 108, 115–116; funding to states, 110–111; gender analysis, 138–140; history of, 86–87; military, 49, 74; new budget structure, 149–150; presidential veto, 82, 89, 94, 182; process, 50–51, 88–94; receipts by source, 25, 26; spending allocations, 89, 177; tax expenditure, 29; underlying values, 4–5, 148; see also expenditures; taxation budget authority, 53, 90, 178 budget committees, 87, 89–93, 178 Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (BEA), 45, 54 budget functions, 51–52, 91, 178 budget literacy groups, 139, 162 Budget of the United States Government, 88, 178 budget resolution, 89–90, 178 Budlender, Debbie, 139 Bush, George W (administration): agenda, 17, 54, 94, 111, 156; removal of website information, 156; spending priorities, 7, 58, 68, 77; tax changes, 40 C California, spending choice, 51 capital budget, 178 capital gains tax, 31, 36 capitalism, 104–108 care economy, 37–38, 119, 123, 178 CEDAW, 138, 139, 154–155 Center for Responsive Politics, 96 childcare: expenses, 10, 40; subsidies, 39, 52; unpaid labor, 8, 44, 118–119 children: in developing countries, 128; single parents, 10, 21, 33, 38–39, 154; and social program cuts, 44; tax credits, 33, 39 Child Tax Credit (CTC), 33, 39 Chile, pension privatization, 14 Cobell, Eloise, 63–64 Cobell vs Norton, 63 Collender, Stanley, 45 common resources see public resources Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), 54 conference committee, 82–83, 178 Congress: election expenses, 96–97; gender and race, 2, 97–100; lobbying of, 58, 91, 92, 96; structure of, 81–83; types of committees, 87 Congressional Accountability Act, 86 Congressional Budget Office (CBO), 178–179 contingent workers, 10, 115, 179 continuing resolution (CR), 179 Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 138, 139, 154–155 corporations: airline industry, 5–6; garment industry, 136; growth of, 104–105; income shifting, 31–32; military industry, 11, 56–57, 58–60, 106–107; outsourcing, 129, 130; political contributions, 96–97, 156; privatization, 11–17; profits, 179; savings and loan bailout, 60; subsidies, 56, 59–60; taxation, 27, 28, 179 cost of living, 10, 55, 56, 57, 154 Counting for Nothing (Waring), 117, 153 currency transaction tax, 134, 135 custom duties, 28, 179 D debt: poor countries, 126–129, 131; see also national debt I n d e x 197 The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks (Robinson), 84 debt ceiling, 69, 74, 179 debt held by the public, 68–69, 70–72, 179 deficit budget, 6, 65–66, 74–75, 179 Dellums, Ronald, 24 democracy, 95–97, 100, 146 Department of Defense (DOD), 49, 61 Department of the Interior (DOI), 62 developing countries: debt, 126–129; Jubilee 2000, 131; social program cuts, 127–128 discretionary spending, 47, 48–52, 53, 179 discrimination: and gender, 43–44; and race, 8–9, 43–44; resources list, 169–170 distribution of wealth: and economic policy, 103–104, 132; and interest payments, 75; by race, 4; resources list, 166–167; third world debt, 126–129, 131; within US, 35, 109; world’s billionaires, 17 District of Columbia, 85–86 Diversity in the Power Elite (Domhoff and Zemiegenhoff), 99 Dolidze, Keti, 135 Domenici, Pete, 81 domestic violence, 11, 171 Domhoff, G William, 99 double taxes, 40 Dujon, Diane, 44 E Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), 33 elderly: and social programs, 12, 15–16, 54; unpaid elder care, 3, 8, 44 election and campaign finance, 96–97, 156 electoral reform, 95–96, 99–100, 156 Elson, Diane, 119 employment: full employment goal, 108, 115–116; part-time workers, 10, 115; underemployed, 10, 182; unemployment, 10, 115–116 Enron scandal, 22 entitlements, 16, 91, 179; see also mandatory spending environment, 38, 121–122, 170–171 Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), 121–122 estate taxes, 28 excise taxes, 28, 179–180 expenditures: background, 45–46; budget structure, 47–53; corporate subsides, 56, 59–60; definition, 182; discretionary, 47, 48–52, 53, 179; entitlements, 16, 91, 179; impact of spending decisions, 43–44, 53–55; longterm investments, 48; mandatory, 47, 50, 52–53, 181; outlays, 48–49, 77, 182; spending categories table, 49, 50 F family income: cost of living, 10, 55, 56, 57, 154; poverty line, 36, 39, 55; single parents, 10, 21, 33, 38–39, 154 Family Self-Sufficiency Standard, 56, 57, 154 federal budget see budget, federal federal debt see national debt federal government: mismanagement of funds, 60–64; size of, 64; see also Congress Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), 23, 180 federal poverty measure, 154, 180 Federal Reserve banks, 26, 180 Federal Reserve system, 111–116, 180 federal trust funds, 62–64, 69, 180 Fidelity Investments, 14 198 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t fiscal year, 47, 88 food stamps program, 53 foreign policy: foreign aid, 58, 132–135; military interventions, 7, 11, 58, 106, 107; peacedirected, 147; resources list, 168 free market system, 104–105 G Galloway, George B., 81 Gandy, Kim, 13 GDP (gross domestic product), 116–120, 180 gender budgets: gender audit, 150–152; initiatives, 137–140; new US budget, 152–157; objectives, 135–137; Women’s Budget Project, 146, 148 Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM), 121 gender issues see women Gender-related Development Index (GDI), 121 General Accounting Office see Government Accountability Office (GAO) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 129 General Revenue Sharing program, 77 George, Susan, 131 Gingrich, Newt, 14 global economy: financial institutions, 125–129; foreign aid, 58, 132–135; trade, 129–132 globalization, 129–132, 180 GNP (gross national product), 117, 180 gold standard, 126 Government Accountability Office (GAO), 4, 61, 181 Gramm-Rudman-Hollings bill (GRH), 74, 87 Grassley, Charles, 62 Greenspan, Alan, 112 Greider, William, 71 gross federal debt, 68, 181 Guide to the Federal Budget (Collender), 45 H Halliburton Corp., 107 Hartmann, Heidi, heads of households, 21, 39, 154 healthcare, 10, 15–17, 111 Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), 16 home mortgage interest deduction, 30, 31 housing subsidies, 3, 11, 30, 110, 120 Human Development Index (HDI), 121 Humphrey-Hawkins Act, 115 I IBM, 31–32 income, definition, individual income taxes: definition, 181; federal budget, 23–24, 25; tax process, 26–27 inequality see distribution of wealth inflation, 114 interest rates, 73, 75, 113, 114–115 Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 23–24 international economic indicators, 121–122 International Monetary Fund (IMF), 126–129 intragovernmental holdings, 69, 181 Iraq, US intervention, 7, 11, 58, 107 J Jubilee 2000, 131 K Kennedy, Magrit, 75 Kerry, John, 97 Keynes, John Maynard, 108 Kohl, Herb, 97 I n d e x 199 L N labor unions, 9, 10–11, 12, 109 Lassen, Mary M., 57 Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, 87 liabilities, 79 line items (budget documents), 51–52, 94 local government: accountability, 160; implementation of UN convention, 155; participatory budgeting, 157 Lockheed Martin Corp., 11, 59 Nader, Ralph, 59 National Association for Commissions of Women (NACW), 169, 171 national budget see budget, federal national debt: balance sheet, 78–80; benefactors, 75–77; current amount, 68–69; debt ceiling, 69, 74, 179; deficit budget, 6, 65–66, 74–75, 179; definition, 181; foreign investment, 71–72; growth of, 67–68, 77, 78; impact of, 72–75; interest payments, 67; intragovernmental holdings, 69, 181; and pension plans, 13; public debt, 68–69, 70–72, 179 national economy: and debt of developing countries, 129; Federal Reserve, 111–116, 180; federal spending, 2, 66, 72–73; history of, 104–108; measurement of performance, 116–122; and outsourcing, 129, 130; role of women, 2–5 national security issues, 7–8, 57–58 national wealth, 79–80, 118, 123, 181 Native Americans, 8–9, 84–85 Native American trust fund accounts, 62–64 natural resources, 38, 123 neo-liberalism, 131–132 new budget: principles, 146–148; strategies, 152–157; structure, 148–152; for US, 149–150; values, 146; vision, 143–146 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 130, 181 Norton, Gale, 63 M macroeconomics, 116, 181 mandatory spending, 47, 50, 52–53, 181; see also entitlements Matthaei, Julie, McIntyre, Robert J., 31, 32 Medicaid, 15–17, 90–91, 111 Medicare: funding of, 15–17, 23, 90; as payroll tax, 35–36 Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, 16 microeconomics, 117, 181 military budget: exemption from cuts, 74; expenses summary, 49 military foreign aid, 58, 132–133 military industry, 11, 56–57, 58–60, 106–107 military interventions, 7, 11, 58, 106, 107 military spending: defense contractors, 56, 58, 106; increased, 23, 107; and jobs lost, 73; mismanagement of funds, 60–62; priorities, 6–7, 57–58; tax resistance to, 23–24 minimum wage, 10–11, 109–110 monetary policy, 111–116, 181 Moynihan, Daniel Patrick, 74 O off-budget / on-budget, 46, 47, 181 Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 88, 181 Office of Women’s Initiatives and Outreach in the White House, 156 200 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI), 23 omnibus bill, 93, 181–182 open market operations, 113, 182 outlays see expenditures national wealth, 79–80, 118, 123, 181; natural resources, 38; total economy, 122–123; unpaid labor, 3, 8, 44, 118–119, 153 public sector jobs, 10, 11–12 P R part-time workers, 10, 115 Patman, Wright, 113 pay equity, 43–44, 120–121 pension plans: Chilean system, 14; women without, 4, 12–15; see also Social Security people of color, 3, 9, 11, 15, 39, 76 Philippines (national debt), 127 political contributions, 96–97 Population Fund (UNFPA), 134–135 Porto Alegre, Brazil, 153, 157 poverty: in developing countries, 128, 133; distribution of wealth, 17, 35, 109; and federal income tax, 36; federal poverty measure, 154, 180; impact of tax structure, 38–41; measurement of, 56, 57, 154; minimum wage, 11, 109–110; non taxable income, 36; and pension privatization, 15; and race, 3, 11, 15, 39, 76; resources list, 165–166; tax credits, 33; US ranking in the world, 121; and women, 3–4, 8–11, 15; working poor, 10, 39, 183; see also wage gap poverty line, 36, 39, 55 President’s Interagency Council on Women, 156 privatization: effects of, 10, 11–12, 17; health insurance, 15–17; of Social Security, 12–15 Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy, 105 public resources: care economy, 37–38, 119, 123, 178; control of, 45, 64; distribution of, 1–5; race: and discrimination, 8–9, 43–44; and poverty, 3, 11, 15, 39, 76; representation in Congress, 98–99 Race, Gender and Work (Amott and Matthaei), Reagan administration: national debt, 71, 73–74, 75; tax changes, 27; and unions, 10–11; weapons sales, 58 recession, 46, 182 reconciliation bill, 93, 94 Reed, Philip, 84 regressive taxes, 36–37 resources: activism, 161; Beijing Platform for Action, 136; budget documents, 25, 49, 78, 90; budget literacy groups, 162; Center for Responsive Politics, 96; Family Self-Sufficiency Standard, 57; list of, 165–171; Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy, 105; tax code, 34; women’s commissions, 171 retirement, 4; see also Social Security Robinson, Randall, 84 Rockefeller, John “Jay”, 97 Rubin, Marilyn Marks, 152–153 S Samuelson, Paul A., 130 San Francisco, 155 Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad, 105 savings and loan bailout, 60 savings bonds, 70, 182 Schwab, Charles, 40 I n d e x 201 senior citizens see elderly slave labor, legacy of, 83–84 social programs: cuts to, 6, 7, 43–44, 54; and debt reduction, 76–77; funding of, 23, 35–36, 45–46, 107; joint federal/state, 110–111; not included in GNP, 120; privatization, 12–15, 17; role of, 3, 109 Social Security: case study, 12–15; funding of, 90, 91; history of, 108–109; as payroll tax, 23, 27–28, 35–36, 40 South African Women’s Budget Initiative (WBI), 139 spending see expenditures state budgets: funding, 6, 110–111; regressive taxes, 36–37 State of the Union speech, 88, 89 State Street Boston Corp., 14 statistical information: expenses by category, 49, 50; federal budget totals, 47; federal income totals, 25; foreign aid funding, 132, 133; national debt totals, 68–69; national GDP, 116; national wealth totals, 80; receipts by source, 25, 26; US dues owed to UN, 134 Steele, James B., 40 stock dividends, 40 strategies.see activism structural adjustment programs (SAPs), 127–128, 182 surplus budget, 65, 66–67, 76–77 System of National Accounts (SNA), 117, 182 T taxation: accounting methods, 21–22, 31; background, 22–24; corporations, 27, 28, 179; impact of structure, 38–41; individual income taxes, 23–24, 25, 26–27, 181; non taxable income, 36; other taxes, 27–28; policy, 6, 21–22; sources of federal income, 24–26, 33–34; tax expenditure, 28–33; tax rates, 34–37 tax code, 23–24, 28, 34, 182 tax credits, 30–31, 33 tax deductions, 30–31 tax exclusions, 31 tax expenditures, 28–33, 182 tax laws, 23–24, 28, 34 Taxol, drug development, 59–60 Tax Reform Act of 1986, 36 Temporary Assistance to Needy Families see welfare terrorism, effect on US budgets, 5–8 Thoreau, Henry David, 24 Tobin, James (Tobin tax), 134, 135 U underemployed, 10, 182 unemployment, rate in US, 10, 115–116 UNIFEM, 137, 138, 168 unified budget, 46 unions, 9, 10–11, 12, 109 United Nations (UN) programs, 134–135 unpaid labor: Australian study, 153; care economy, 37–38, 119, 123, 178; childcare, 8, 44; elder care, 3, 8, 44; estimated value of, 118–119; total economy, 122–123 US economy see national economy V values: setting policy, 17, 64, 146; survey of women, 7–8 veterans’ programs, 91, 109 veto, presidential, 82, 89, 94, 182 W wage gap: declining real wages, 108; by gender, 4, 17; low-paying 202 W o m e n a n d t h e U S B u d g e t jobs, 9–11, 136; pay equity, 10, 43–44, 120–121; of women by race, 8–9; see also poverty Waring, Marilyn, 117, 153 Washington, D.C.: legacy of, 83–85; legal status, 85–86 wealth, definition, wealth gap, 109; see also distribution of wealth wealthy families: billionaires, 17; millionaires in Congress, 97; power elite, 97–100; tax breaks to, 35 weapons: Cold War-era, 7, 57; global trade, 58; as military aid, 133 welfare, 3, 32, 55, 110–111 White House, construction, 83–84 Wilson, Edmund, 23 women: in developing countries, 128, 136; discrimination, 43–44; election of, 97–100; and interest payments, 76; international economic indicators, 121–122; and national economy, 2–5; and poverty, 3–4, 8–11, 15; resources list, 167–168; single parents, 10, 21, 33, 38–39, 154; and tax structure, 39–40; unpaid labor, 3, 8, 44, 118–119, 153; in US Congress, 2, 97–100; see also wage gap women’s budgets see gender budgets women’s commissions, 171 Women’s Infants and Children program (WIC), 107, 108 women of color, 3, 39, 76 working poor, 10, 39, 183; see also poverty World Bank, 14, 126–129 World Peace Tax Fund Act, 24 World Trade Organization (WTO), 126, 129–130, 183 Z Zambia (national debt), 128 About the Author ❖ J ANE MIDGLEY IS A LONG-TIME ADVOCATE for peace and justice She began her organizing efforts in Washington, DC at the Washington Peace Center where she focused on the effects of militarism on women and youth and helped to organize national demonstrations on a range of social justice issues Jane has also participated in coalition efforts for disarmament and women’s rights, including mobilizing national organizations to oppose the deployment of the first-strike Cruise and Pershing II missiles in Europe and attending the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in China She has twenty five years’ experience addressing the US national budget She focused on budget policy as both legislative and executive director of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and has written and spoken extensively about budget priorities Her study The Women’s Budget, calling for a 50% cut in military spending and an investment of those resources into human needs was used as the basis for citizen hearings around the country She received her BA from Carleton College and was a fellow in Peace Studies at the Bunting Institute at Radcliffe She currently directs Strategies for Success, working with nonprofits and executive directors She lives in Somerville, MA 203 If you have enjoyed Women and the US Budget, you might also enjoy other BOOKS TO BUILD A NEW SOCIETY Our books provide positive solutions for people who want to make a difference We specialize in: Environment and Justice • Conscientious Commerce Sustainable Living • Ecological Design and Planning Natural Building & Appropriate Technology • New Forestry Educational and Parenting Resources • Nonviolence Progressive Leadership • Resistance and Community New Society Publishers E N V I R O N M E N TA L B E N E F I T S S TAT E M E N T New Society Publishers has chosen to produce this book on recycled paper made with 100% post consumer waste, processed chlorine free, and old growth free For every 5,000 books printed, New Society saves the following resources:1 26 Trees 2,391 Pounds of Solid Waste 2,631 Gallons of Water 3,432 Kilowatt Hours of Electricity 4,347 Pounds of Greenhouse Gases 19 Pounds of HAPs, VOCs, and AOX Combined Cubic Yards of Landfill Space 1Environmental benefits are calculated based on research done by the Environmental Defense Fund and other members of the Paper Task Force who study the environmental impacts of the paper industry For a full list of NSP’s titles, please call 1-800-567-6772 or check out our web site at: www.newsociety.com NEW SOCIETY PUBLISHERS ... awareness that these are our resources, we often feel powerless to create change For Parts One and Two of Women and the US Budget: Where the Money Goes and What You Can Do About It, pretend you are... solve the mystery of how the budget affects women and their families In Part One you will investigate the basics of the federal budget — where the money comes from, where it goes, whether the budget. .. who makes it and who benefits, and lets them draw their own conclusions about whether the priorities funded in the budget match their own values Looking at the budget in both a domestic and global