| The recent Republican bluff over shutting down the government had nothing to do with balancing the budget. The real intent was to redirect money away from working people to the military-industrial-complex. |
| According to a Congressional Budget Office report, the bill would produce only $350 million in tangible savings this year, in part because cuts in domestic programs were offset by an increase of about $5 billion for Pentagon programs.
When projected emergency contingency spending overseas is figured in by the budget office, estimated outlays for this year will actually increase by more than $3 billion. Source: "House Passes Compromise Budget Bill" By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and CARL HULSE - NY Times - April 14, 2011 "...the entire debate of the last two months was about how much spending to reduce and where," said Representative Todd Rokita, Republican of Indiana and one of 87 Republican freshmen whose insistence on deeper cuts influenced the spending fight. "This is progress." Pentagon spending would rise nearly $5 billion this year — about $2 billion less than the increase initially sought by Republicans — while nondefense programs would receive targeted cuts as well as a $1 billion across-the-board decrease that would bring net spending reductions to roughly $38 billion. "The American people have been told the agreement contains both ‘historic’ and ‘painful’ cuts. The question will be painful for whom," [Representative George Miller of California] said in a written statement. "Poor and middle-class families have already received more than their fair share of pain in this economy." Source: "Republicans and Democrats Alike Claim Successes in Averting a Federal Shutdown" By CARL HULSE - NY Times - April 9, 2011 ...rank-and-file conservatives[…] have been very reluctant to give an inch from the $61 billion in cuts approved by the House. [Speaker John A. Boehner] asked, "When will the White House and when will Senate Democrats get serious about cutting spending?" Source: "Budget Deal to Cut $38 Billion Averts Shutdown" By CARL HULSE - NY Times - April 8, 2011 |
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