According to USA Today (online edition today) the Bush Budget calls for
$37 million for improvements on the road leading to WalMart's corporate headquarters in beautiful downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.
If this doesn't indicate the corporate pork barrel the Bush administration was from Day One, I'm not sure what would.
I don't begrudge the citizens of Bentonville their highway improvements, but somehow I can't lose the feeling that the average citizen of that town was even asked about road maintenance and improvements.
Below the fold---> take a look at some of the budget cuts suggested by the Bush Administration and ask: Are these cuts worth paving the way for WalMart?
The AFCME has a well organized list of the proposed budget cuts:
Cuts Medicaid: President Bush's budget cuts and shifts at least $60 billion in Medicaid costs to the states over 10 years. This level of cuts will almost certainly push hard-pressed states to eliminate coverage for a substantial number of low-income people, increasing the ranks of the uninsured and underinsured.
Wait a minute! Aren't Medicare and Medicaid the programs (unlike Social Security) that are in REAL trouble?
Cuts Education: Almost one-third of the domestic programs the President targets for cuts are in education, with funding reductions totaling $1.3 billion. He has proposed total elimination of 48 programs, including Drug-Free Schools State Grants, Educational Technology State Grants, the Perkins Loan program for students with exceptional financial need and the Even Start family literacy program. Adult education would be cut by 63 percent.
Did I miss something? Wasn't Bush supposed to be the Education President? Didn't he answer a question about unemployment by saying that his education programs would solve that?
Employment and Training Programs: Funding for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs and the Employment Service (ES) would decline by $559 million, adjusted for inflation. ES state grants would decline by $84.4 million. Trade Adjustment Assistance training is flat funded, representing a $5 million cut in inflation-adjusted dollars. The popular Job Corps program is cut by $30 million in real terms, and the Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker program is eliminated. State unemployment insurance (UI) administrative grants would decline by $41 million.
Excuse me, but I could have sworn that Bush's answer to unemployment during the campaign was that workers needed to train for Jobs in the 21st Century?
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Bush proposes to flat fund TANF, a cut in grants to states when inflation-adjusted. As in the past, the President calls for increasing required work-related activities for TANF recipients to 40 hours per week, and diverting needed funds from child care and other work supports to questionably effective programs promoting marriage and "responsible fatherhood."
I have to ask: Are those responsible fatherhood programs working? Because the President told us he was cutting programs that didn't work and funding those that did? So where are the numbers?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): This premier public health agency is hit the hardest in the Administration's health and human services budget. The President proposes a $500 million cut, including slashing preventive health and bioterrorism preparedness grants to state and local health departments.
All in favor of cutting funds for prevention of disease and responding to bio-terrorist attacks please raise your hand?
Food Stamps: The budget proposes $1 billion in food stamp cuts over 10 years, which means that 200,000-300,000 fewer low-income individuals will receive nutrition assistance. Under the plan, welfare recipients who receive child care, education, training and other services but no welfare cash assistance would no longer be automatically eligible for food stamps.
Food Stamps: The budget proposes $1 billion in food stamp cuts over 10 years, which means that 200,000-300,000 fewer low-income individuals will receive nutrition assistance. Under the plan, welfare recipients who receive child care, education, training and other services but no welfare cash assistance would no longer be automatically eligible for food stamps.
Now, this is Compassionate Conservativism!
Veterans' Benefits: The Bush budget plan slashes benefits for veterans by eliminating funding for state programs that provide veterans with long-term care, more than doubling prescription drug co-payments for some veterans, and requiring them to pay an annual enrollment fee of $250. The Bush plan would also trim nursing home care by $351 million, which would eliminate approximately 5,000 beds in nursing homes run by the Veterans Administration.
Yes! Drive around with the yellow ribbon support the troops sticker and then ask these guys and gals to go without funding for long term care. Put that Red White & Blue ribbon on the back of the Hummer and ask an Army private to fork over more in drug co-payments! If Bush ever got anything backward this is it!
So kids, and schools, and job training programs, and food stamps, and disease control, and the environment, and veterans can just take their lumps in the interest of 'deficit reduction' but we always have enough money for WalMart.
To see the rest of the list follow this link