Spend, spend, spend
Looks like about everything but the environment (EPA) got more. All you non-US forum goers, wouldn’t you love to move to the US to help pay for all this!!!
- Education: $59.7 billion, $1.4 billion over last year and $300 million below President Bush’s request. Aid to low-income school districts $12.8 billion, $500 million below Bush but $500 million more than last year. Grants for improving teacher quality $1.5 billion, 0.7 percent over last year. Aid for disabled students $11.8 billion, 5.4 percent over last year.
- Transportation: Overall $59 billion, $1.1 billion over last year and $1 billion more than Bush requested. Highway construction gets $34.7 billion, $1 billion over last year and over Bush’s proposal. Federal Aviation Administration gets $10.4 billion, $100 million over last year. Amtrak gets $1.2 billion, the same as last year.
- Foreign aid: $19.5 billion, $2 billion over last year and $1.8 billion below Bush’s request. Total $2.9 billion for fighting AIDS in poor countries, $100 million more than Bush wanted.
- State Department: $8.3 billion, a $554 million cut from 2004. Embassy security would grow by 17 percent to $612 million.
- Land and cultural programs: The Interior Department will get $9.9 billion, nearly $100 million less than Bush wanted and 0.4 percent more than 2004. National parks operating money goes up 6 percent, but money for buying park lands remains nearly two-thirds below the peak of three years ago.
-Health and social programs: Maternal and child health gets $896 million, 0.7 percent over last year. AIDS programs get almost $2.1 billion, 1.2 percent over last year. National Institutes of Health get $28.5 billion, 3.1 percent over last year, one of its smallest increases in years. Energy assistance for low income families $2.2 billion, 4 percent over last year.
- Veterans: Veterans’ health care programs will get $30.3 billion, $1.9 billion over last year and $1.2 billion more than Bush wanted.
- Housing, urban affairs: $37.3 billion, 1.6 percent below last year and 1.4 percent over Bush’s request.
Justice Department: $20.9 billion, $1 billion over last year. FBI gets $5.2 billion, almost a 14 percent increase over last year. Aid to state and local law enforcement agencies is $1.3 billion, $90 million below last year.
- Environmental Protection Agency: $8.1 billion, 3.3 percent below last year but 3.8 percent over Bush.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration: $16.2 billion, or 5.3 percent over last year.
- Postal Service: Bill includes $507 million for equipment to detect biohazards and to build a postal facility in Washington, D.C., to irradiate mail to destroy possible biological contamination.
- Congress: $3.6 billion, $43 million over last year. Capitol Police get $232 million, $13 million over last year. No funds provided for continuing construction of Capitol Visitors’ Center, which is running well over budget and has money left over from previous years.
All of these spending increases were put there by the democrats. 
In fact, Bush even asked that federal employees go without a payraise this year. Congress just doesn’t listen. I’m getting a $3000 raise this year, which is $3000 more than I expected.
Can I use it? Sure. Could I do without it? Yep. I have to agree the spending is out of control.
All of these spending increases were put there by the democrats.
Don't cop out now Mr. Seeker of the Truth. You guys are in charge now - you make the laws & you pass the budgets. If you don't like something, then start slashing & burnin'
Don't cop out now Mr. Seeker of the Truth. You guys are in charge now - you make the laws & you pass the budgets. If you don't like something, then start slashing & burnin'
Hey Mr. Soul,
Keep in mind that inflation has averaged about 2% this year, so any increase of less than 2% is actually a cut-back. And lets face it, I didn’t see Haliburton’s cut in there anywhere…also no word on defense spending increases which, from what I’ve read’ are astronomical - gotta get that “benevolent global hegemony” that Mr. Wolfowitz spoke of.
Either way, I’m still getting screwed on taxes ($11K Out of pocket for last year alone) - Thanks Mr. Shrub. Thanks alot.
.-=/gp=-.
Toker: "All you non-US forum goers, wouldn’t you love to move to the US to help pay for all this!!!"
Since this is the “dont tax but keep spending” golden dreamland which W is creating, shouldn’t you have asked:
“wouldn’t you love to move to the US and benefit from all of this increased spending, also get tax cuts, and leave the debt to our children ?”
The right has a great scam going, they take credit for Clintons good economy and blame the bad economy today on Clinton. but the right has had control of both houses for the last two years and also control it now. so they can’t run but they are good at hiding behind the good policies of the Dems. they beat the pants off the Dems in the fear,lies hate game…that’s how they got in control. long term stats show the Dems are much better in doing good for the countries economy than the Repubs. it’s pure myth that the right is a better steward of the economy. Under dems Wall street grows at a 7.3% under repubs it stands at 3.6%. Bottom line this WAR is soooooo wrong and killing so many for absolutely nothing. goooood morning viet-raq!
Cruiser 
As I understand it, they did cut spending 0.8% across the board just to make the numbers work.
But seriously, blame us Democrats for all these programs & start cutting them. I can’t wait!!!
And while your at it, if you going to privatize SS, then why not just get rid of that too & provide tax incentives for individuals to save on their own. I mean it’s not OK for to have a Federally managed health program, then why the h*ll is it OK to have Federally managed private SS fund. Go figure that one?!?!
| Quote (Mr Soul @ Dec. 09 2004,17:29) |
| And while your at it, if you going to privatize SS, then why not just get rid of that too & provide tax incentives for individuals to save on their own. I mean it's not OK for to have a Federally managed health program, then why the h*ll is it OK to have Federally managed private SS fund. Go figure that one?!?! |
Just to clarify, my first comment was joke. Hence the smilie.
On to the quote. Isn't better to have government oversight than total government control. Or should the government take over everything?
And furthermore, my middle name is not “of the”. 
You guys are pretty good at figuring things out…so here’s a question for you. How long would the United States remain a viable world power if our oil supplies were cut off? The Iraq mess may have been thrown at us for so called humanitarian reasons, but keeping the Middle East stable and making sure the oil keeps coming is what its REALLY all about. So hey, lets park all our cars, start riding burros and living off the land. As a nation, we would’nt last five years.
Anybody who knows a little about how our government operates and economics knows that an administrations economic policy does not really “show” until its out of office. Unless he/they are two termers, then it’s about the middle of the second term when stuff starts changing. Although, this trend seems to be getting shorter what with the so called “Global Economy” crap we keep hearing about.
All we can do is hang on for the ride and enjoy…wanna buy a burro?
TG
You guys are pretty good at figuring things out....so here's a question for you. How long would the United States remain a viable world power if our oil supplies were cut off?
Not long. If we'd stayed the course that Jimmie Carter attempted to set out for us, we'd be alot further along in becoming less dependent of Middle East.
I read a report today that said we were actually becoming 30% more dependent on it's oil. I also read that if everyone would stop buying SUV's and get more efficient gas cars, then we wouldn't have needed the oil from Kuwait.
It's all a matter of our consumption & habits. If everyone would conserve, buy hybrid cars, use solar, etc., then we wouldn't have to send people off to DIE for oil.
One of the things, amongst others, that Bin Laden hates us for if the fact that we help to artifically keep the price on oil lower than it would be.
But we'd further fight & kill these (and our) guys so we can drive our SUV's.
Not long. If we'd stayed the course that Jimmie Carter attempted to set out for us, we'd be alot further along in becoming less dependent of Middle East.
I read a report today that said we were actually becoming 30% more dependent on it's oil. I also read that if everyone would stop buying SUV's and get more efficient gas cars, then we wouldn't have needed the oil from Kuwait.
It's all a matter of our consumption & habits. If everyone would conserve, buy hybrid cars, use solar, etc., then we wouldn't have to send people off to DIE for oil.
One of the things, amongst others, that Bin Laden hates us for if the fact that we help to artifically keep the price on oil lower than it would be.
But we'd further fight & kill these (and our) guys so we can drive our SUV's.
Yeah. Its a real Catch 22 kinda thing. Sort of “de-industrialize” to cut our dependence of oil or keep up the current path. Either way is a tough row to hoe. Oil (and lots of it) is what keeps our economy churning. It’s a lousy setup. The good (bad) news is, the rest of the world is catching on to our ways too. So he who rules the oil…
A better way MUST be found and implemented… QUICK! I don’t care WHO (Dems, Repubs, whatever) spearheads the campaign. Somebody must get off their duffs and get jiggy wid it. I’d volunteer but unfortunately, last time I checked, I was’nt on any ballot anywhere for anything.
TG – your basic nobody
| Quote (cruiser @ Dec. 09 2004,16:25) |
| The right has a great scam going, they take credit for Clintons good economy and blame the bad economy today on Clinton. but the right has had control of both houses for the last two years and also control it now. so they can't run but they are good at hiding behind the good policies of the Dems. they beat the pants off the Dems in the fear,lies hate game..that's how they got in control. long term stats show the Dems are much better in doing good for the countries economy than the Repubs. it's pure myth that the right is a better steward of the economy. Under dems Wall street grows at a 7.3% under repubs it stands at 3.6%. Bottom line this WAR is soooooo wrong and killing so many for absolutely nothing. goooood morning viet-raq! Cruiser
|
Amen.
| Quote (gtr4him @ Dec. 10 2004,09:10) |
| Yeah. Its a real Catch 22 kinda thing. Sort of "de-industrialize" to cut our dependence of oil or keep up the current path. Either way is a tough row to hoe. Oil (and lots of it) is what keeps our economy churning. It's a lousy setup. The good (bad) news is, the rest of the world is catching on to our ways too. So he who rules the oil...... A better way MUST be found and implemented..... QUICK! I don't care WHO (Dems, Repubs, whatever) spearheads the campaign. Somebody must get off their duffs and get jiggy wid it. I'd volunteer but unfortunately, last time I checked, I was'nt on any ballot anywhere for anything. TG -- your basic nobody |
There is no "catch 22". GW Bush had a chance to steer us away from oil and defeat the terrorists at the same time. The US could have spent a fraction of the war costs on development of efficient solar cells and long lasting batteries. Instead we went to war for oil. Mistake one. Now he keeps us there to terrorize the middle east. Mistake two.
Had the US spent 70 billion on developing efficient solar cells (instead of 140 billion on war), we would be world leaders (again) in technology. We could make fossel fuels obsolete. In turn, terrorists would lose funding. The middle east would no longer be a threat to anybody. And there would be good paying, high tech jobs for Americans. Unfortunately, the current administration is so short sighted and greedy as to put the world at risk in the name of the almighty dollar.
There is no catch 22, there is just ignorance and it's name is Washington beauracracy.
Any thoughts?
Mike
Yes, one thought - Seems to me that - it’s not bureaucracy that?s the problem - it?s the alliance of corporate interests with political power that is. I know you were only speaking loosely, but the identification of the problem with institutional processes is an old ploy of the right, and deflects attention from the ways that power is articulated. It’s sort of like saying that the problem in the USSR in the 1930s was Soviet bureaucracy.
| Quote (Mr Soul @ Dec. 08 2004,17:43) |
| Looks like about everything but the environment (EPA) got more. All you non-US forum goers, wouldn't you love to move to the US to help pay for all this!!!! |
Right, and if a democrat were in charge you would be applauding it all.
You know you would
Jeff
A Democrat was in charge…And when he left office there was a budget surplus of some $250 million dollars.That money was subsequently handed(I got a whopping $300 check)out like candy.Throw in a ludicrous tax cut for the top 1% and a bogus,fear soaked war and you have your self a deficit.Bills are bills and you’re always going to have them no matter who is in charge…It’s what you do with the money coming in from tax payers like ourselves,that seperates the good politicians from the greedy one’s.
The fact of the matter is,Junior and his administration,have acted horribly irresponsible in regards to the economy.I don’t see anybody outraged by the fact that Haliburton has been payed now in the billions of dollars for their “part” in the war.Imagine that?Can’t afford body armor for the troops but we can pay Chaney’s boys hand over fist.Fossil fuels and the internal combustion engine have been outdated for decades.Figure it out America…This war and this administration is all about profit for multi-national corporations.Greenspan has already warned them that we are heading down a dark path financially.Foreign investors have seen our growing debt and are hesitant to deal with us anymore.The dollar is taking a beating and so are we.Osama is getting exactly what he wanted…A bankrupt American economy.Don’t believe me?Read his memo’s…Bush is doing everything Osama hoped he would.The Bush administration is widening the gap between the haves and the have not’s and they’re doing it with the help of the have not’s…That scares the s**t out of me.People should concern themselves less with party lines and start looking at the people behind those lines.Because this administration is all about profit for big business…Wake up America,wake up!
You need to check you facts. The body armor wasn’t being done faster due to miscommunication with the vendor.
It’s not just what you drive but also how far you drive it. Not to mention the thousands of other products besides gasoline that are petroleum based. How many people drive 60 miles each way to work in a car that gets 35 to 40 MPG? A lot. My SUV gets 20 MPG. I drive 10 miles each way. That’s 1 gallon per day. The guy with the small car uses at least 3 times more than I do. I can’t fit my three kids in a honda civic. The dems are all about window dressing and fear. They have no viable solutions. The ones you cite are a pipe dream. You can’t make a 747 aircraft into a hybrid (at least not for 100 years). Transportation of equipment food and other products accounts for far more gasoline usage than our little SUV or honda.
The tax cut was to fight the recession.
Osama also hoped that Kerry won. He’s an idiot at every turn.
The democrats are all about eliminating our good christian values and leading us the way of sodom and gommorah. Wake up americans.
Morals and Values are good in the home which is where they should stay! Politics should be about real issues like economy infrastructure environment …things that can be debated with a middle ground that is real. Morals and values cannot be dabated nor legislated. It’s just another way to hide behind semantics. Besides
God never really came down on any government…only the people. Jesus was a liberal he cared about people…the right cares about morals and values whatever they are and how they are defined…I’m a born again Christian who isn’t fooled by Fallwell and Roberts and the rest of the political right Pharisees!!!
Cheers:cool: