[yonif]

It's really a lost cause of making the government smaller. In a decade or so, "small government" will no longer be an issue. This country is changing, and it will never go back to the days of limited government. What's more, this bill increases the expectations of the citizens in this country of what the government is supposed to be and what it is supposed to provide. This is a slippery slope which will lead to other legislation increasing spending and increases the population of the government. Down the road, it will also require tax increases.

[futureceo31]

I agree with you on that. I seriously think that the next 4 years is going to be spent by Bush in reducing government but I think it will be pretty tough to do. For any chance of government reform, we have to look at privatization and the medicare bill is a step in that direction. We have to start somewhere...

[AppauledAtAppeasementConservat]

"This is a slippery slope which will lead to other legislation increasing spending and increases the population of the government. Down the road, it will also require tax increases."

You would have to be assuming that there will be no further gains in the republican majority over the next few years to believe that will be the case. The trends are not going in that direction. Consolidation of the debate in a republican majority will be restricted to right and far right. Leaving the dim's to continue their ranting and bush hating and because they will be virtually powerless to prevent anything on the right. Bush is a business after all and it is obvious.

No doubt he can see this and is getting the legislation laid down in position to revamp it when the power is consolidated.