Republicans use Katrina to cruelly cut programs for the poorest Americans

[dajoki]

NYT
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/13/opinion/13thur4.html?th&emc=th

Budget Cowardice in the Capitol

Published: October 13, 2005

Congressional Republicans are trying to invoke the cost of reconstruction from Hurricane Katrina to justify cutting even more deeply and cruelly into programs that help the poorest Americans. Prodded by self-proclaimed budget hawks, the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, suddenly wants to up the ante in Congress's budget plan - to $50 billion from $35 billion - for five years of cuts in basic programs. Billions for food stamps, Medicaid and welfare reform would be lopped off.

Much of this is transparent posturing for next year's elections. The same lawmakers who cheered on President Bush's reckless tax cuts for the affluent, killing the surpluses and creating mammoth debt, are trying to transform themselves into responsible budgeteers.

The budget process was also a mess well before Katrina struck. But the cost of repairing the storm damage makes facing reality more urgent. For a starter, the next bout of upper-bracket tax-cut extensions should be indefinitely shelved. And Congress should return to the pay-as-you-go discipline that produced the surpluses of the 1990's. The cynical plan in the House would mandate offsets for spending programs only, not for tax cuts.

Once again, the nation must hope that Republican moderates and Democrats in the Senate take a stand, but not for another split-the-difference budget. There's plenty of egregious pork protected by Congress in highway and Pentagon spending bills, like the bridge to nowhere and the inoperable antimissile shield. Dozens of comparable revenue wasters have been identified. The independent Center on Budget and Policy Priorities points to the timely warning from Congress's Medicare advisory commission that billions will be wasted under the new drug subsidy program unless Congress fixes the windfall formulas for managed care companies.

Sadly, there is less political risk in exploiting Katrina to compound the suffering of the poor.

[melody]

1. sociopaths doing what sociopaths do best

Crush the small and helpless to serve their own interests.

[dajoki]

2. someday...

it has to come back and bite them in the ass.

[dajoki]

3. kick

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. Also on the cutting-board:

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767511589&path=&s=

Included in the proposed cuts are programs geared toward arts in education, community technology centers, education programs for jailed youth, and financing for the Women's Educational Equity Act, or WEEA.

[dajoki]

5. no surprise n/t

[ngGale]

6. They continue to have so much compassion...

for other people.:sarcasm:

[zann725]

7. I agree the cuts are just excuses. But the "new" Medicare med benefits

seems to benefit few even IF it's allowed to proceed uncut.

The only ones who seem to get significant "discounts" are those already eligible for additional discounts (since they earn $900/mo. or under). With OR without "new" Medicare med "benefits", Seniors and the Disabled on SS/SSDI will STILL be cutting their pills in half, or living without heat, or a roof over their head.

That this Admin. is using Katrina costs (which somehow seem to being largely "lost" to most Katrina victims)...as well as the millions/ billions this Admin. still gives away to other nations for THEIR "natural" disasters (such as Pakistan)...continue to be taken away from the "social" needs of our OWN most in need citizens. But then, these same citizens have little or NO lobbying power. Alas...