Most House Democrats Reject Obama's Austerity Budget Deal With GOP
by John Nichols
April 15, 2011
WASHINGTON - President Obama cut a budget deal with congressional Republican leaders that outlined draconian cuts to needed programs while doing little if anything to address a supposed fiscal crisis. As such, it was a classic austerity agreement that served the special interests that dominate the upper ranks of both parties while ill-serving the great mass of Americans.
Congress has approved the deal that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says "moves America in exactly the wrong direction. It cuts programs for struggling working families, the elderly, children and the poor while preserving tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires." But Sanders and a majority of House Democrats opposed it.
That represents a significant break with Obama and his attempt to get congressional Democrats to buy into the austerity agenda -- and the false premise that America has the resources for wars and bank bailouts but not for health care, education and meaningful investments in community renewal and job creation.
Of the 167 "no" votes, 108 came from Democrats and 59 from Republicans. The measure passed the Senate 81-19. Sixteen of the "no" votes came from conservative Republicans who thought the deal did not cut enough. Two senior Democrats, Vermont's Patrick Leahy and Michigan's Carl Levin, opposed the deal. So, too, did Vermont Independent Sanders. (Ron Wyden (D-OR) also voted no. BBI)
Read the full article at:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/04/15-0-------------------------------------------
News Release: Sanders Statement on Budget Cuts
April 14, 2011
WASHINGTON, April 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after Congress passed $38 billion in spending cuts as part of legislation to finance the federal government through September:
“This budget moves America in the exactly wrong direction. It cuts programs for struggling working families, the elderly, children and the poor while preserving tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.
“Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. Republicans in Congress have tasted blood. Now they are dead set on making even deeper cuts. They have proposed a radical budget for 2012 that would end Medicare and Medicaid as we know them while providing $1 trillion more in tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.
“There is no question that we must reduce soaring deficits, but it must be done in a way that is fair, which protects the most vulnerable people in our country, and which requires shared sacrifice.”
http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=cee0492d-8a11-4b68-8a63-94b05c7788ba