Bush's unending war is starving millions of Americans

[dajoki]

The Nation
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060306/editors

posted February 16, 2006 (March 6, 2006 issue)
Less Butter, More Guns


The budget is an annual statement of national priorities and in even-numbered years also serves as a campaign platform for the party in power. This President's new spending priorities are grotesque--a cruel distortion of what matters to Americans--and riddled with deceptions. For the campaign, however, Bush's slogan is surprisingly frank: "Cut the butter, give us more guns." Terror is his theme, as usual. But instead of pretending, as he has in the past, that the war will be painless on the home front, Bush now asks people to choose between their fears and their hopes. That's a far riskier gamble, and one he just might lose.

Bush's budget is littered with phony claims and fanciful projections, but it does clearly frame a potentially decisive debate: Do Americans acquiesce to the "long war" envisioned by Pentagon planners? Or will Congress at last choke on the folly and open-ended costs of this new cold war? Bush is determined to convert America into a permanent war economy. If we reject his priorities we can perhaps turn back a national disaster before it's too late.

While Bush slashes or freezes domestic programs like healthcare and education, his Pentagon budget increases by 7 percent, to $439 billion, 45 percent greater than when he took office five years ago. And the $439 billion is only part of the increased largesse for the military-security complex; another $33 billion goes to the ill-managed homeland security agencies. That still doesn't count the war itself--another $70 billion or more.

Meanwhile, belt-tightening applies only at home--141 domestic programs either killed or cut. Education loses $2.1 billion, from student loans to vocational training. Healthcare takes a substantial hit, which means hospitals and nursing homes lose Medicare financing or communities lose disease prevention. Agriculture gets less for conservation. Federal home-heating aid ignores rising oil prices. The number of hungry Americans, rising at about 10 percent a year, is now 38 million, but Bush takes a whack at food assistance too.

[catmother]

1. we've been asked to cut programs to pay for katrina while

our money goes to the war and rebuilding iraq. when are people going to wake up?:patriot:

[Erika]

3. We've been asked to sell off our public lands

to pay for rural schools. What happens when the public land is gone and new rural schools need to be built?

When all the timber is gone and wildlife killed?

These people are taking us all for morons.

[Erika]

2. Cut the butter and give us more guns

It matters zero to W and his minions that Americans disagree with his priorities. It matters zero to the republican legislators. They take our taxes and do what they wish.

I'm going to sit down and write our 100% GOP DC delegation that I disagree with just about every agenda item of the GOP. I will be specific.

I will get the same letter from all of them "Though we may disagree on some issues, thank you for expressing your opinions. I will keep them in mind"

[dajoki]

4. Erika, you are 100% correct...

they WILL do what they want. I applaud your tenacity!!

[Erika]

5. I applaud your posting such good articles

I almost feel like we should break out in "We shall overcome" But, we will. I am as stubborn as they are and its my taxes they are using.

[dajoki]

8. thank you...

and i too am a stubborn S.O.B.

[unkachuck]

6. talk about unAmerican....

....how much more unAmerican can you get than to destroy Americans and America?....we've got to take Congress back, but I'm worried....

[Erika]

7. Don't be

The Bushbots are slowly waking up. Reality will return to them. They've already caught onto how he will risk our national security through unsecured borders for corporatism. They are wondering why he's selling our ports to Muslims.

It's coming. Reality will hit them.