GOP moves ahead with spending-cut plans(Programs for the Poor & Disabled)

[truthpusher]

The GOP WAR ON THE POOR continues......

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/news/politics/12603634.htm

Posted on Fri, Sep. 09, 2005
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GOP moves ahead with spending-cut plans
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ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press
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WASHINGTON - Republicans are going ahead with long-standing plans to trim Medicaid, food stamps and other benefits, even though party moderates are balking at cutting programs that aid the poor while hundreds of thousands are homeless from Hurricane Katrina.

(snip)

The proposed cuts pale when compared to the unprecedented price tag of the Katrina relief and recovery. In the past week alone Congress has appropriated $62 billion to deal with the worst natural disaster in the nation's history. The government is spending more than a $1 billion a day on the relief effort.

(snip)

"The reform of government needs to continue," said House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa.

Cuts are planned for the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled, student loan subsidies for banks, farm subsidies and food stamps, among others. Katrina has helped solidify opposition to them among moderates in both parties.

"At a time when millions are displaced and seeking federal and state assistance, we believe it is inappropriate to move forward on ... a legislative package that would cut funding for Medicaid, food stamps ... housing and education," Sens. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., wrote in a letter this week to the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

(snip)

complete story: http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/news/politics/12603634.htm

[izzie]

1. My God at this rate Bush may nave to give up his war.

I am betting the party will be more happy with tax payers getting less in care etc.What will China let us do?

[Orion The Hunter]

2. In yet another move, GOP shows how little they care about poor

Given that many of these programs will benefit the poor (in areas struck by the catastrophe in particular), cutting these programs to help fund more tax benefits for the wealthy and big corporations is just silly. Those 2006 elections will not come soon enough!

[indepat]

4. The GOP care nothing about nothing except rewarding donors, punishing

political enemies, and further implementing a radical RW PNAC agenda EOS. Anyone who thinks/believes otherwise in a gawddamned idiot.

[fooj]

3. They are letting people go without FEMA and Red Cross as we speak!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4713070

Peace.

[liberal N proud]

5. Gotta pay for those tax cuts to the base.

[Carla in Ca]

14. Sickening...

Love this quote:

"The reform of government needs to continue," said House Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa.

And * has to go on with his life. Oy.

[ninkasi]

15. "The reform of government needs to continue"

We disagree on what that reform should consist of. Getting rid of the Bush administration is priority #1. Priority #2 is to demand an immediate rollback of the tax cuts to the Paris Hiltons of this country. Priority #3 is for the average American to start paying attention to the havoc caused by this bunch of thugs and bullies, and restore America to a nation which cares about it's citizens. All of us citizens, regardless of color, religion or lack of it, national origin, sex, or anything else.

If we are to be asked to contribute to this country, then this country needs to acknowledge that the proper role of government is to provide for the citizens of that country, and not corporate interests. Is this what Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison had in mind when they started this country called the United States?

I do not remember anything from my Sunday School classes of many years ago, learning that Jesus urged the poor to give to the rich. Why does the right wing, who claim to be the ones who are "moral", now believe that this is the correct way for a country to behave? Oh, we need reform, and badly...but not the reform this greedy bunch has in mind.

[anitar1]

23. Yes, and they also have to pay for all of the obscene

pork programs they have approved for their criminal buddies. Bridges in Alaska that go nowhere, plus God knows how many oters. To them government is having all the money in their filthy pockets. I wonder if there is a jail big enough to hold all these bottom suckers. In the meantime people are starving, receiving substandard care, if any, and our schools rank way down the scale. Infant mortality is number 39 on the list in this country. the last I heard. Almost all of our social programs have been eviscerated.

[Toots]

6. The government is spending more than a $1 billion a day on the relief effo

half of which is going into Halliburton's pocket and then plenty into GOP Coffers. The Fleecing of America continues unabated.

[Pastiche423]

7. Wait a minute!

Senator Gordo (R) believes it is inappropriate to move forward on ... a legislative package that would cut funding for Medicaid, food stamps ... housing and education???

:wow:

[OregonBlue]

9. Ya, keep emailing this dirt bag and let him know that we're not

gonna take this crap any longer. Oregon is a blue/moderate state and he is not representing us.

Also sent a LTE to Oregonian yesterday about his comments at the energy committee hearing earlier in the weak.

Not the fault of the oil companies. Wyden had just put up his chart of the oil companies holding $80,000,000,000 and Smith maintained that it was "boutique" fuels and red tape that kept them from reinvesting in infrastructure. Also said that under Carter it was the price caps that caused long gas lines so we don't want to do that. In fact, it was the oil embargo. He is such a toady to big oil. Make this guy pay!!

[anitar1]

24. Gordon is another wealthy "Christian [LDS]" who betrays

his constituents and they are too dumb to realize it. He is just another pig, IMO. Too bad we can't haul him up to Idaho , where he belongs.

[OregonBlue]

25. Didn't know he was LDS (Church of the Almighty Dollar). Only

thing we can do now is keep the pressure on. This is a very moderate state and I don't think that if he votes for tax cuts for the wealthy, etc., that he will have a chance in hell of getting reelected.

[Skittles]

8. we are seeing right now what GOP "reform of the government" gives us

extreme suffering, death and destruction

[Ernesto]

10. Not for gop cronies......... n-t

[FlemingsGhost]

11. Just wait until "we the people" .... um, ... "reform" the government.

"Dem belly full, but we hungry. ... A hungry mob is an angry mob."

--Bob Marley

[Cobalt Violet]

17. Progressives have been tell them all along that people will be dying ..

In the streets. We told them these cuts would kill the very old and the very young and they denied it. These policies have killed lots now yet they still deny it.

[Double T]

12. The republicans are in the self-destruct mode......

I am looking forward to their self-inflicted demise.

[fishwax]

22. i think they've been used to getting their way for so long

that their reaction to the crisis is to do more of it. but now that the sleeping giants (the media and the public) are waking up, they won't get away with it anymore.

I'm looking forward to their fireworks show too :)

[Megahurtz]

13. What kind and caring "Christians".

:sarcasm:

[pinniped]

16. Does that stupid 1/2 lady still think that POS she lives...

with cares about every US citizen?

Hell ya.

[Lecky]

18. It's like everyday they try to outdo themselves

by being the biggest assholes they can possibly be.

How do these people win elections? HOW?

[VegasWolf]

19. But we can't give up the "Death Tax" or the rebates to the top 0.02%

of the wealthiest Americans, can we?

:crazy:

[Lecky]

20. The rich suffer enough in this country...

:sarcasm:

[fishwax]

21. nope. they're not heartless

:puke:

[scarletlib]

26. My message to smith, snowe, bingaman, lincoln et al repubilcans

with any shred of remaining conscience: Leave the Republican Party NOW! Either join with the Democrats or become Independents. Either move would give the Dems a majority in the Senate and that could ol\nly help at this point.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

27. Actually more realistic than impeachment & would be much more effective

I am interested why you didn't mention Chaffee?

[scarletlib]

28. chaffee is included in the et al part and could also include

Collins of Maine.

[proud2BlibKansan]

29. How do these people sleep at night?

I just don't get it.

[slay]

30. Republicans are TOTALLY HEARTLESS

:( :( :( :(

[pookieblue]

33. That's what I say...

They make the Grinch (pre Whoville) look good.

They do not care for the little folk.

[bribri16]

31. They are preparing people to not be able to survive the next disaster.

I guess the poor just aren't poor enough. I heard quite a few displaced persons say they had "two jobs." But you won't hear the MSM making much of those types of statements. They would rather pay attention to "looters." then they interview a white guy who proudly points to stockpiles of liquor (he doesn't drink) who intends to use the liquor for "bartering." It's as though he's some kind of hero for "finding" the liquor and making good use of it.

[killbotfactory]

32. Aren't they the ones who whine about "class warfare"?

Thanks a lot, you assholes.

[4dsc]

34. And Nussle's running for governor in Iowa..

I cannot wait to attend a Nussle rally, given they are open to the public..