Critical Votes for GOP Are Looming

[Rose Siding]

Lawmakers are drafting proposals that would cut billions of dollars from the growth of Medicaid, slice into student loans just as students return to college, pare back food stamps and trim farm price supports in the midst of a midwestern drought.

The raft of bills, due out of 16 committees in the House and Senate by Sept. 16, will present the Republican Party its toughest test of fiscal austerity in nearly a decade. For years, the party has embraced the rhetoric of small government while overseeing legislation that has helped boost federal spending by more than a third since the GOP took control of Congress 10 years ago. Now, Republican lawmakers will be faced with the tough votes needed to slow that growth and enact the first cuts in entitlement spending since 1997.
.....
"It's been off the radar screen, but I can assure you it will be front and center very soon," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/27/AR2005082700696.html?nav=rss_politics

[acmejack]

1. It should be exquisitely painful

I can barely take much more "compassion".

[BayCityProgressive]

2. The GOP will pay for this in 06

[tom_paine]

18. You think Unrigged Elections at the National Level are still possible here

I am not saying one way or another, but to me it seems as if our voting systems are as trustworthy as saddam's or Ferdy marcos' or perhaps Hosni Mubarak's.

The Busheviks dare not lose control for it means the lid will come off the dozens of corruptions they have performed in broad daylight.

The Democrats have absolutely ZERO stomach for voting reform, though it means they will never again posess any power in any parts of the National Imperial Government.

So, I have my doubts. And that doesn't even cover the fact that the MSM is pretty much fully an adjunct of the Bushevik Campaign (whatever placeholder they allow to hold the throne between Bushes) delivering a 24/7 anti-Dem Bush-Lie-Repeating-Fest.

That the same Busheviks review BOTH the poltiical conventions, further insuring that the Democrats simply cannot get their message heard (even if they HAD a good message rather than the tepid weak-chinned crap of the 2004 convention that was Karl Rove's wet dream where the Dems cowered in fear and vowed to "be nice").

There's a bad moon on the rise.

[VegasWolf]

8. LOL. Please, please, no more Compassion!!! nt

[kbm8795]

3. This will cost them the seniors vote

and pretty much every middle and lower-class young person's vote.

[LiberalFighter]

10. But they believe it is the right thing to do.

Of course if it was the right thing to do then they have nothing to worry about.

[AndyTiedye]

15. It Won't Cost The GOP Anything. They've Got Nothing to Worry About

Fixing the votes around the Party

[Barrett808]

4. These are some of the "sacrifices" Bush is talking about n/t

[durablend]

5. Sacrificing the GOP

And the bonfires will be burning come 2006

[Barrett808]

6. Hope you're right. n/t

[Iowa]

7. Republicans stole and squandered billions and gave it away

to the super-rich in a deliberate plan to created the mess we're in. Now they will pretend to be "responsible" and "courageous" by reducing the deficit on the backs of the poor and middle class. They'll wear fake "pained" expressions and feign "courage". They'll tell us how "tough decisions" must be made. They'll tell us how they hate to do it, but they must - all for the sake of our children and grandchildren. And our Vichy Dems will wring their hands, utter a few wimpy insults (and then apologize for them), and enough Dems will comply to make it happen.

We're in for a very long haul. Building a genuine opposition party could take decades. I don't see 2006 as the answer - even if the Dems do regain control.

[niallmac]

13. They ALWAYS do this. Put the country in debt and then

"Oh well gosh folks, have to cut social programs to get us solvent again. And say, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't get so close to my Hummer."

[Theduckno2]

17. Yes Iowa, it's their modus operandi.

First they get government off the backs of the people (rich people) with a tax break and when the bill comes due in the form of huge deficits, they go after entitlement programs (which they loathe in secret).

Just today Sen. Kennedy called for full funding of the "No Child Left Behind" program. I bet there still is plenty of money for the missle defense system.

I, for one, will start hammering them on this fact: Tax cuts for the wealthy equal cuts to social programs for the poor and disadvantaged! Hope it shines a little light on these hypocrites. Nice avatar by the way

[alfredo]

9. Quit whining, Haliburton and Exxon need the money. Because they

are rich republicans, god loves them more than the old, the poor, the sick. Now get back to work. Remember to clock out for bathroom breaks.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. Can you say "Omnibus?"

I knew that you could.

[rosesaylavee]

12. Nominated

Fall session starts soon. Lets bring this **onto** the radar screen for Harry. He's had a tough summer.

:kick:

[Usrename]

19. I'll agree with that, but...

if I had a choice of something to get on the radar it would be to fire Rummy - NOW

kids are dying over there and I think we could do more to stop it

[Imagevision]

14. BUSH cut Pell grants for students

http://downingstreetmemo.com/

[arikara]

16. Of course they wouldn't dream of cutting

some of the billions that go to Halliburton.

[MrTriumph]

20. "toughest test of fis. austeritry in a decade"? Cutting taxes during war

Again, MSM cover-up for the GOP.

Lets see, what would be a reasonable test of the "toughest test of fiscal austerity in nearly a decade"?
Could it have been obscene tax cuts for the rich, one of the biggest made during Bush's War?
Could it have been the amount spent on runaway pork in the Highway Bill?
Could it have been allowing the no-bid contracts for companies involved in Iraq?
I could go on, but you get the point: The GOP has failed time and time again to be fiscally responsible.

The Washington Post article is nothing but drama to sell papers while covering-up for GOP failings.