DelMarVaNow.com: Bush's "agenda" another "casualty of Katrina"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050911/OPINION01/509110326/1014/NEWS01

But a promising start on reducing the federal deficit has abruptly been reversed. Members of Congress estimate the ultimate cost of Katrina at $150 billion to $200 billion. Relief efforts are burning through $2 billion a day, and President Bush last week secured from Congress nearly $52 billion in emergency aid, a second installment on top of the $10.5 billion previously approved. Those costs mean Bush will be unable to make good on his promise to halve the federal budget deficits run up during his presidency, a record $412 billion as of last year. And his legislative agenda -- certainly the timing of it -- has become another casualty of Katrina.

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The Senate has postponed indefinitely repeal of the estate tax. And making the last round of Bush tax cuts permanent is up in the air. There may be further tax cuts, but they will be targeted at Katrina's victims, farmers and small businesses. Bush's tax reform panel is to report its plan this month, but Congress will be unable to take more than a cursory look at it this year.

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Congress was preparing to examine some $35 billion in Bush-backed cuts in Medicaid, student loans, welfare and food stamps, but those plans are on hold as being unnecessarily punitive toward the poor. Katrina has also given Congress an excuse to postpone the divisive issue of Bush's demands for immigration reform.

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Social Security reform and private accounts are no longer at the top of anyone's agenda. And even if Bush could reverse the momentum running against him, Congress just doesn't have the time -- with 11 spending bills technically supposed to be completed by Sept. 30 and the Senate having to confirm one and maybe two Supreme Court nominees. To the casualties of Katrina, we must add President Bush's dwindling political capital.

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http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050911/OPINION01/509110326/1014/NEWS01

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[napi21]

1. GREAT NEWS!

[Skidmore]

2. Is that facial expression the one known as "resolute"?

[blondeatlast]

3. Don't you hate it when the people's business gets in the way of workin'

hard>

Pointing at GW--:rofl::rofl::rofl: