The Immoral Republican Budget
The budget that the House Republicans want to slam down our throats will be terrible for our society. Here are the 10 worst things it will do:
1. Destroy 700,000 jobs, according to an independent economic analysis.
2. Zero out federal funding for National Public Radio and public television.
3. Cut $1.3 billion from community health centers--which will deprive more than 3 million low-income people of health care over the next few months.
4. Cut nearly a billion dollars in food and health care assistance to pregnant women, new moms, and children.
5. Kick more than 200,000 children out of pre-school by cutting funds for Head Start.
6. Force states to fire 65,000 teachers and aides, dramatically increasing class sizes, thanks to education cuts.
7. Cut some or all financial aid for 9.4 million low- and middle-income college students.
8. Slash $1.6 billion from the National Institutes of Health, a cut that experts say would "send shockwaves" through cancer research, likely result in cuts to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research, and cause job losses.
9. End the only federal family planning program, including cutting all federal funding that goes to Planned Parenthood to support cancer screenings and other women's health care.
10. Send 10,000 low-income veterans into homelessness by cutting in half the number of veterans who get housing vouchers this year.
While Republicans want to cut these services to the vast majority of Americans, they seek tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. Terrible. We should not put up with it.
Comments Section
5 Comments
As a member of any of those groups that might see services ended or deteriorated, I could justify it in the name of saving my child's future in America from a failed economy, EXCEPT, for the fact that the Republicans are refusing to ask the wealthiest to share some of the hardship with me.
I am confident my view is shared by millions of other Americans, and certainly there will be a poll before long to substantiate or refute my claim.
Some of those proposed cuts are the last place to begin cutting. Where are billions in wasted military procurement dollars in that list? Republicans appear to be a true and dedicated war against the middle and lower classes in America. If it weren't for the Citizen's United S.C. case ruling and Gov. Walker's example of carrying the Koch Bros. water, Republican actions would be truly baffling and appear self-defeating.
Considering that many voters cannot distinguish Fox News from Republican propaganda or Rush Limbaugh, I'm not sure enough are really aware of what is happening in the major political parties.
It's only when they start to see the consequences and feel the pain that there will be a real uprising. I just hope it's a Jasmine revolution and not a French revolution.
Me Too!, Greg.
I am going applaud your distinction between Fox's News programming and their infotainment political talk shows.
Fox's news programming is on par with the news programming of the other networks, if not slightly better and better funded. Now, before other readers have a caniption fit, here me out. I am distinguishing Fox's actual news programming from its host show programming, with its deceptive news facade. Glenn Beck is host show programming, not news. Beck presents his tirades in a quasi news format, much like Keith Obermann did. But, neither is a dedicated current events news and factual information program.
I can watch Fox's Business news programs and get the same fact based reporting on the markets that I can get on Bloomberg or MSNBC. Folks who want political spin and partisan perspective will not tune in to Fox News programming, or MSNBC's or CNN's news programming for that matter, they will tune into Hardball, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, or Rachel Maddow, instead. But, none of these are News programs, (just the facts, Ma'am, programming).
I never saw a Conservative on the Keith Obermann show or a liberal on the Glenn Beck show. I do sometimes see liberals on some of Fox's hosting shows though, and sometimes have seen conservatives on the Rachel Maddow show.
So, I think you are dead on right, Greg, to distinguish between the Fox Networks news programming and the rest of their talk show programming. Their news programming is as competent as any of the other networks. Their talk show programming, however, is decidedly biased toward conservative partisan viewpoints regardless of whether they host occasional liberals for counterpoint.
One of the talk shows I frequent is Morning Joe (MSNBC), with Joe Scarborough who consistently hosts both conservatives and liberals in dialogue. His show is even co-hosted by Mika (sp?), a more liberal counterpart. They discuss some current events found in other news media, but, they don't pretend to be a dedicated news show at all. They are honest about what they are, a talk show.
The Fox network is not as clear cut in defining its news programming from its talk shows, as some of their talk shows present news items as a starting point for decidedly biased treatment of that news interpretation and presentation.
There are a lot of conservatives out there these days hating NPR who would tell you they wouldn't be caught dead listening to NPR. It just doesn't get any more illogical and prejudiced than that, does it? There are of course, liberal counterparts who wouldn't be caught dead watching Fox News, but, who nonetheless know it is all partisan lies and bull crap. Which of course, is not true. Not all.
Paul,
It is not so much of what the Republicans are cutting, but it is not what they are willing to vut that can be used against them in a public debate.
For who is willing to give millionaires tax cuts when they are using their money ahainst the Inherent Best Interest of America?
Who is willing to pay incentives to Corporations who do not want to pay their taxes?
And who thinks that Wall Street should not be taxed on speculating forcing cost of everything to increase?
In fact, following President Regans' lead should we not impose a Luxury Tax and cut out the write offs for travel, meals, and coeporate parties?
Yes, the Democrats can, but probably won't pony up to the table with a plab to reduce spending by 2012 which will please the masses; however, it does open the door for a Third Party Candidate to go Left of President Obama and the Republicans to show how Americans can put the Nation back on the right track.
For why I'm not against tax cuts or helping Americas' Business, being Old Fashion I still believe they either do what We the People want and need them to do or be taxed to the hilt for doing what they want to do.
Care to say which one wins the Day?
Henry, but, it is as much about what Republicans want to cut. They want to cut those very items that will damage the economic recovery and cost jobs. Why? That should be obvious. To lay the blame for the lack of recovery at Democrats and Obama's feet with Koch Bros. money in the 6 weeks before the 2012 election.
Oh, yes. It is very much about what they want to cut. Their cuts will cost 10's to 100's of thousands of jobs via the domino effect through a lowering of consumer demand via unemployment increases.