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Bush would cut or end 141 programs
WaPo/Star-Telegram ^ | Feb. 05, 2006 | AMY GOLDSTEIN

Posted on 02/05/2006 8:29:44 PM PST by ncountylee

WASHINGTON - President Bush plans to propose a $2.7 trillion budget Monday that would shrink most parts of the government unrelated to national security while slowing spending on Medicare by $36 billion during the next five years, according to White House documents.

The budget that Bush is to recommend to Congress will call for eliminating or reducing 141 programs, for a savings of $14.5 billion, across a broad swath of federal agencies, according to administration and congressional officials who have had access to budget documents. Wide-ranging as they are, those cuts pale in comparison with the White House's attempt to carve money from Medicare, the first tangible result from a vow the president made in his State of the Union address last week to constrain the massive entitlement programs for the elderly and poor.

Spending for the departments of Commerce, Education, Energy and Interior would be flat or decrease.

In contrast, the president plans to recommend for the Department of Homeland Security an increase of at least 5 percent from this year's funding, $30.8 billion. The White House is also trying again to increase passengers' security fees for air travel from $2.50 per flight to $5, a proposal that Congress swiftly rejected last year.

Similarly, the budget will suggest a hike of nearly 5 percent in the Pentagon's funding for next year, defense officials said.

The $439.3 billion includes $84.2 billion for weapons systems, an 8 percent increase in weapons spending.

The effort to curb Medicare spending by $36 billion by 2011 and by $105 billion a decade from now is a sharp turnabout for the administration. Last year, Bush said the health-insurance program that covers 41 million elderly and disabled people should be spared any cuts.

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bushdoctrineunfold; govwatch; libertarians
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1 posted on 02/05/2006 8:29:46 PM PST by ncountylee
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To: ncountylee
Well...it's a belated start at least.
2 posted on 02/05/2006 8:30:23 PM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: ncountylee
$14.5 billion

OH yeah baby, he's a conservative now!

3 posted on 02/05/2006 8:31:20 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (None genuine without my signature)
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To: ncountylee

Too little...too late.

< /sarcasm >

Just posting the obvious cracks that the Bush-haters always make...

4 posted on 02/05/2006 8:32:20 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: ncountylee

GOOD


5 posted on 02/05/2006 8:32:35 PM PST by fedupjohn (If we try to fight the war on terror with eyes shut + ears packed with wax, innocent people will die)
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To: ncountylee

Thank God.


6 posted on 02/05/2006 8:33:15 PM PST by Senator Goldwater
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To: ncountylee

Kanye West could not be reached for comment (pronunciation problem).



7 posted on 02/05/2006 8:33:54 PM PST by TeddyCon
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To: fedupjohn

Whatever happened to the idiot plan to give all seniors free medicines?


8 posted on 02/05/2006 8:33:59 PM PST by basil (Exercise your Second Amendment--buy another gun today!)
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To: ncountylee

Thank you for story and more thanks for linking to the printer friendly URL.


9 posted on 02/05/2006 8:34:27 PM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (“Don't approach a Bull from the front, a Horse from the rear, or a Fool from any side.”)
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To: ncountylee

Atta boy Mr. President.


10 posted on 02/05/2006 8:34:51 PM PST by billhilly (The Democrat symbol is no longer the donkey, it's a strait Jacket.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

A 'cut' of 1/2 of 1 percent. That's telling 'em!!


11 posted on 02/05/2006 8:35:10 PM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: basil
Government should not be in the business of paying for drugs anyway.
12 posted on 02/05/2006 8:35:14 PM PST by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: fedupjohn

14.5 billion is virtually nothing. I'll take note when it's several hundred billion.


13 posted on 02/05/2006 8:35:14 PM PST by tlj18 (May Ariel Sharon arise again to lead Israel over its enemies... Thy will be done.)
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To: ncountylee

Let's not forget that BATFE is now part of Homeland Security, so it's budget might very well go up. I'd like to see its budget slashed to nearly nothing ... How much budget do they need to enforce only "real" crimes and not paper violations?


14 posted on 02/05/2006 8:36:07 PM PST by coloradan (Failing to protect the liberties of your enemies establishes precedents that will reach to yourself.)
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To: ncountylee

"President Bush plans to propose a $2.7 trillion budget"

And the U.S. doesn't currently take in 2.7 trillion in taxes annually. More deficits and debts for our children to pay.

A 7% cut in all non-defense spending like Herman Cain campaigned here in Georgia on would be nice.


15 posted on 02/05/2006 8:36:18 PM PST by NapkinUser ("Our troops have become the enemy." -Representative John P. Murtha, modern day Benedict Arnold.)
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To: ncountylee

Defund PBS,defund the environmental groups, defund the ACLU.


16 posted on 02/05/2006 8:36:39 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (The Internet is the samizdat of liberty..".Liberty is the right and hope of all humanity"GW Bush)
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To: ncountylee
"Bush is to recommend to Congress will call for eliminating or reducing 141 programs"

141 programs down, 141,000 to go.

17 posted on 02/05/2006 8:37:57 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: billbears

And whaddya bet congress won't even allow that much?


18 posted on 02/05/2006 8:38:10 PM PST by Let's Roll ( "Congressmen who ... undermine the military ... should be arrested, exiled or hanged" - A. Lincoln)
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To: ncountylee
It's Boehner's move in the future. Perhaps he will have a 1995 flashback when he proposed ending the Department of Education.

Other than that, Bush should propose cutting Pat Buchanan.

19 posted on 02/05/2006 8:38:15 PM PST by LdSentinal
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To: Southack; freepatriot32

"Just posting the obvious cracks that the Bush-haters always make..."

So pointing out the obvious, that Bush is no fiscal conservative, means you're a "Bush-hater"? What kind of rubbish is that?


20 posted on 02/05/2006 8:38:16 PM PST by NapkinUser ("Our troops have become the enemy." -Representative John P. Murtha, modern day Benedict Arnold.)
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To: ncountylee

Only a start. Let's help him target another couple hundred.


21 posted on 02/05/2006 8:40:36 PM PST by kilowhskey (Land of the free, because of the brave.)
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To: NapkinUser
"So pointing out the obvious, that Bush is no fiscal conservative, means you're a "Bush-hater"? What kind of rubbish is that?"

You are confusing cause and effect. The rooster's crowing does not make the sun rise each morning. Criticizing President Bush does not make you a Bush hater.

On the other hand, Bush-haters *will* make some rather obvious criticisms of our President. It's laughably predictable.

22 posted on 02/05/2006 8:42:13 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: kilowhskey

Energy and Education would be positive cuts.


23 posted on 02/05/2006 8:43:16 PM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: ncountylee


What will he end up by the time it gets through Congress?

15 Billion?


24 posted on 02/05/2006 8:43:23 PM PST by digger48
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To: NapkinUser
So pointing out the obvious, that Bush is no fiscal conservative, means you're a "Bush-hater"? What kind of rubbish is that?

FR is populated with a large number of blind Bushbots.

25 posted on 02/05/2006 8:43:29 PM PST by xrp (Every time Chuck Norris sneezes, a third-world contry is annihilated from the face of the Earth.)
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To: digger48

i meant to put 15 MILLION


26 posted on 02/05/2006 8:44:19 PM PST by digger48
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To: Southack; All

To the Bush haters here it is damned if does damned if he doesn't. More can be done.. Baby steps folks, try to get rid of 40 plus year mentality that the government has to provide everything is a tough job.


27 posted on 02/05/2006 8:44:56 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: xrp; All

and Bush bashing bots...


28 posted on 02/05/2006 8:45:49 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: kilowhskey

I'm not up on all the government spending, but it seems to me that there are probably ALOT of wasteful spending and stupid programs that the government funds that could be cut instead of going after the elderly first.

I suggest that we get rid of all the illegal aliens, this would save about 60 billion a year people!!


29 posted on 02/05/2006 8:45:54 PM PST by annelizly
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To: ncountylee

Why do I get the feeling these aren't really cuts, but increasing spending below inflation?


30 posted on 02/05/2006 8:46:26 PM PST by NapkinUser ("Our troops have become the enemy." -Representative John P. Murtha, modern day Benedict Arnold.)
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To: ncountylee

RNC called me the other day, and I hollered that I wanted not one more cent to go to Palestine, Lebanon, Hamas, and the UN. I want them to spend 80% of all the saved billions in IRAQ, make it a wonderland, and give the other 20% to the military families just because we love 'em.

That got the fuindraiser off really quick.


31 posted on 02/05/2006 8:46:37 PM PST by bitt ('More bad news for the terrorists: This president is no Lyndon Johnson. He won't quit.')
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To: KevinDavis

"To the Bush haters here it is damned if does damned if he doesn't. More can be done.. Baby steps folks, try to get rid of 40 plus year mentality that the government has to provide everything is a tough job."

So why is Bush just now getting on it? Prescription drug bill?


32 posted on 02/05/2006 8:48:17 PM PST by NapkinUser ("Our troops have become the enemy." -Representative John P. Murtha, modern day Benedict Arnold.)
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To: basil
>>>>>The budget that Bush is to recommend to Congress will call for eliminating or reducing 141 programs, for a savings of $14.5 billion...

$14.5 billion of a $2.7 trillion dollar budget.

The trillion dollar Bush Medicare Prescription Drug Program is alive and well.

Thanks to Bush and the GOP Congress, big government Republicanism is alive and well.

65% of the annual Bush federal budget is spent on "Human Resources", aka. welfare entitlements.

Too little too late.

33 posted on 02/05/2006 8:50:18 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: ncountylee
'Bout Time Bump!
34 posted on 02/05/2006 8:50:39 PM PST by TonyRo76 (American by birth. Patriot by choice. Christian by grace.)
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To: digger48

It's an election year. Maybe 5 or 10 at best -- enough so that the Dems can say they saved Medicare from the diabolical Republicans and so that the GOP can say it did something. But I'm not cynical.


35 posted on 02/05/2006 8:51:03 PM PST by alancarp (NASCAR: Always turning left, but can never keep up with the Liber-commis.)
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To: Reagan Man
"Too little too late."

Post #4 quoted you even before you typed in your response.

36 posted on 02/05/2006 8:51:31 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Southack
On the other hand, Bush-haters *will* make some rather obvious criticisms of our President. It's laughably predictable.

Please Southack, post your threadkilling G.W. devotional SPAM again.

37 posted on 02/05/2006 8:52:06 PM PST by primeval patriot
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
$14.5 billion

How many hours does it take for the government to go through that much money? The study to determine which cuts to make probably cost that much.

38 posted on 02/05/2006 8:54:59 PM PST by Moonman62 (Federal creed: If it moves tax it. If it keeps moving regulate it. If it stops moving subsidize it)
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To: ncountylee
In contrast, the president plans to recommend for the Department of Homeland Security an increase of at least 5 percent from this year's funding, $30.8 billion. The White House is also trying again to increase passengers' security fees for air travel from $2.50 per flight to $5, a proposal that Congress swiftly rejected last year.

Similarly, the budget will suggest a hike of nearly 5 percent in the Pentagon's funding for next year, defense officials said.

Let's just call these "Muslim Taxes."

The b@stards are costing us a thousand different ways in security, economics, and inconvenience.

39 posted on 02/05/2006 8:56:13 PM PST by F16Fighter
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To: Southack
>>>>Post #4 quoted you even before you typed in your response.

It was your post that gave me the idea. Thanks

What no obligatory list of so-called Bush accomplishments according to Southack? You're slipping.

40 posted on 02/05/2006 8:56:29 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: KevinDavis
and Bush bashing bots...

Well, FR is a conservative forum. Bush, not being conservative, has no place on FR! ;-D

41 posted on 02/05/2006 8:57:41 PM PST by xrp (Every time Chuck Norris sneezes, a third-world contry is annihilated from the face of the Earth.)
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To: Moonman62

Well said! (despite our differences on the drug threads)


42 posted on 02/05/2006 8:59:57 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (None genuine without my signature)
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To: NapkinUser
And the U.S. doesn't currently take in 2.7 trillion in taxes annually. More deficits and debts for our children to pay.

We don't have to accept the President's budget. There is no reason why the Congress can't write a budget that will be in balance, except they would then be replaced in the next elections by voters who demand their programs be expanded.

I'm sure the President's budget is a well reasoned approach to getting us to a balanced budget over a time frame the administration thinks is politically viable. It's possible the budget can be improved by the Congress and the recent Alito confirmation gives me hope that Republicans are marching in unison and the rats are fractured. Republicans may have enough loyalty to skim a few DINOs and pass some stuff.

Republicans are bolstered by the fact that rats have been complaining about ballooning deficits, but they are unable to act on those complaints by proposing deeper cuts.

43 posted on 02/05/2006 9:06:25 PM PST by Once-Ler (The rat 06 election platform will be a promise to impeach the President if they win.)
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To: ncountylee

'Bout damn time. Although, after all the increases we've seen, I wouldn't exactly call these "cuts".


44 posted on 02/05/2006 9:07:11 PM PST by billybudd
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To: ncountylee

Blah blah blah...

His free drugs for Seniors will cost more than 10,000 programs.


45 posted on 02/05/2006 9:08:49 PM PST by DoughtyOne (If it's a "Religion of Peace", some folks just aren't very religious.)
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To: kilowhskey
Well yes, kilowhskey, we could save another 60 billion by stopping the flood of criminal Christian invaders from the south. They give no whit about our Constitution, the whit they give is for their own country and the family they left and the culture they love back home.

Meanwhile we sing Psalms to their quaint but dysfunctional culture.

Sure thing, gang, we shall overcome, but only after we, ourselves, have been throughly overcame by greedy and lesser interlopers.

Wait and see.
46 posted on 02/05/2006 9:17:48 PM PST by the final gentleman
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To: tlj18

Bingo - President Bush is definitely a spending liberal. Does he know he has a veto pen? I think not. Bummer.


47 posted on 02/05/2006 9:19:58 PM PST by DennisR (Look around - God is giving you countless observable clues of His existence!)
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To: Once-Ler
PresBush and the GOP Congress spend the taxpayers money like liberals. If the Democrats controlled the federal government, they'd spend more like socialists. Neither case is acceptable to conservatives.

The GOP had tremendous success in the 1990`s, holding Clinton in check on spending. But they can't hold this GOP President's liberal spending habits in check, or their own pork barrel spending. Pathetic.

48 posted on 02/05/2006 9:20:18 PM PST by Reagan Man (Secure our borders;punish employers who hire illegals;stop all welfare to illegals)
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To: Let's Roll
Of course. But it will look good in front of the cameras and the party faithful. And that's all conservatism has become. Looks.
49 posted on 02/05/2006 9:51:27 PM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: KevinDavis

1/2 of 1 percent is not a baby step. That's not even a baby rolling over. Believe what you like, but this is pandering to the faithful to appear like he's actually been doing something...


50 posted on 02/05/2006 9:53:41 PM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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