Blessed are the poor, for it is on their backs that budgets are balanced

[Thom Little]

President Bush's brand of compassionate conservatism, as implemented by the Republican Congress, was put on display last week when lawmakers voted to cut programs for the nation's most vulnerable citizens while reducing taxes for the wealthiest Americans.

Memo to Iraq and other developing democracies: That's how we cut the deficit around here.

In two votes Friday, one in the House and one in the Senate, the presidents' congressional foot soldiers showed that their view of responsible budgeting begins with the needy and stops short of the rich. On a 217-215 vote, the House of Representatives cut $50 billion from the federal deficit by 2010 by reducing spending on Medicaid, food stamps and student loan subsidies. The Senate, by a margin of 64-33, passed $60 billion in tax breaks over the next five years, which will outstrip the savings achieved by the program cuts.

That math, of course, doesn't compute. Yet the White House warned the Senate that it might veto the tax-cut package -- not because it had come to its senses and realized it can't balance a budget by spending without limit in Iraq while also cutting federal taxes. The Bush administration was upset that the bill contained a provision that would mean a $4.3 billion tax increase to a key constituent, oil companies.



http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05325/609931.stm

[rpannier]

1. What's sad is...if you look north of the border

they produced a budget surplus through middle class tax cuts and they can still have universal health care.

[liberal N proud]

2. The problem in America is the rich want it all

There was a time in this country when the wealthy felt obligated to burden themselves with improving the community.
That time has long passed and we are seeing the complete opposite.
GREED! that is what America is about in these modern times.

[Tesla]

3. Greed has brought down every great civilization....

I hope we can stop this before it keeps going....
Genocide is what it is if you starve off the poor and old.

[acmejack]

4. These votes have convinced me there is no hope for this Nation.

Sorry, the values displayed by our "leaders" indicate that not only are we fiscally bankrupt, but morally as well. I gave up all hope for this system last week.

[fasttense]

5. Just as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me.

I wonder if these professed moral Christians thought about cutting Jesus's food stamps would they still do it?

[applegrove]

6. Blessed are the poor - for they fight inflation while the rich sacrifice

nothing in this time of war.