Bush faces party unrest over Katrina bill

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

President George W. Bush was facing growing unrest within the Republican party on Wednesday over the cost of rebuilding the Gulf coast after Hurricane Katrina, as fiscal conservatives in Congress identified $500bn (£276bn) in spending cuts to offset the financial burden.

The complaints by rank-and-file Republicans reflect unease at the president's pledge to spend "whatever it takes" without clearly setting out how the reconstruction estimated at up to $200bn will be funded.

"If we Republicans who are now in charge of both houses of Congress and the presidency are unable to make tough decisions and provide leadership, then we're going to be telling the American people we're no different ," said Dana Rohrabacher, a California congressman.

The cost of Katrina has reopened the debate on the administration's spending, following the extension of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in the first term, the lavish highway bill and the war in Iraq. Mr Bush on Wednesday again committed himself to federally funded reconstruction of the Gulf coast, declaring: "We're going to stay as long as it takes."

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=FT&Date=20050921&ID=5132609

[rodeodance]

1. wait till he gets the Rita bill.

[rodeodance]

2. simple solution. cut our loses and leave Irag AND cut the tax cuts.

The cost of Katrina has reopened the debate on the administration's spending, following the extension of the Medicare prescription drug benefit in the first term, the lavish highway bill and the war in Iraq. Mr Bush on Wednesday again committed himself to federally funded reconstruction of the Gulf coast, declaring: "We're going to stay as long as it takes."

[calimary]

4. That's what I'd do.

Seems to me we have the perfect out, too, as far as Iraq. We lied our way in there, so why don't we just lie our way out? Say we won and leave. That's it. We just announce that we won and we leave. Period. Boom. Outta there. WHY NOT? What do we have to lose, really, except just more American lives and all the hurt the Iraqis are enduring as long as we stay there (and the insurgents fight US - the invaders they hate). The same crowds who believed the first lies will doubtless go along with this round, too.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. What.... the repugs don't want to pay for "clearing his conscience"?