GOP Moving '05 Budget Through House Panel (Medicaid/earned inc. credit cut

[papau]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3849319,00.html

GOP Moving '05 Budget Through House Panel

Thursday March 11, 2004 1:01 PM EST


By ALAN FRAM Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans began pushing a $2.41 trillion budget through the House Budget Committee on Thursday, a package that goes one better than President Bush's goal of cutting deficits in half in five years. <snip>

Like Bush's budget and a similar plan Republicans were pushing through the Senate, much of the House package's deficit cutting would come from assuming that a recovering economy will produce extra revenue.

But Nussle's budget also envisions carving $13 billion in savings over the next five years from benefit programs, such as Medicaid, and farm payments (3.4 billion in five-year cuts from Medicaid and the earned income tax credit despite inflation calling for increases).

It would also keep most domestic programs at the same spending levels as this year, while including $50 billion to pay for the war in Iraq. And it would cut taxes by at least $138 billion over the next five years - like the Senate paring back on the reductions Bush has requested. <snip>

[ramapo]

1. Irresponsible

I think I'll go out and spend a lot more money than I have hoping that maybe my neighbors will make more money next year and will want to give some to me. I'll sure need it because I'm going to take a pay cut too.

The EIC cut will hurt the low-wage WORKING family as they struggle to stay out of total poverty.

I can guess for whom the tax cuts are targeted.

Anybody who works for a living and votes Republican is a fool.

[neverforget]

2. More compassionate conservatism for ya! I hope the Dems make

this an issue: Tax cuts for the wealthy and Benefit cuts for everyone else!