House GOP Seeks to Offset Katrina Spending

Washington Post ^ | 9/18/05 | Douglass K. Daniel

[SunnyD1182]

House Republicans are looking at delaying some federal spending, including money for a prescription drug benefit under Medicare

Right on. Take that ill-advised drug benefit and stuff it in the trash can. It's been the President's worst policy idea yet. If Katrina can manage to get Congress to end that horrid program, maybe some good can come out of this yet.

[Sometimes A River]

**"We simply cannot break the bank of the federal budget," Pence told ABC's "This Week." **

LOL, they can and they will, Mr. Pence.

[cynicom]

We could replace Air Force One with a Lear.
That would be a tremendous cut in expenditures. Bush could then lead by example.

[Sometimes A River]

Or maybe we could cut funding for those bridges to nowhere in Alaska. Or lining the Ronald Reagan Highway with trees.

Oh wait, those programs "create jobs."

[Republican Wildcat]

However, Democrats appearing on Sunday news programs questioned how President Bush can trim the budget to pay for Katrina recovery and support tax cuts for the wealthy. The press isn't biased. No siree.

[RWR8189]

Or maybe Bush can turn down the heat in the White House this winter and wear a sweater?

[cynicom]

Bush wants me to conserve energy. AF 1 swills energy from a six inch pipe, but I of the unwashed masses have to conserve.

Never mind he has done nothing about more drilling. No new refineries have been built, I have to conserve. Politicians have one thing in common, they all know how to squeeze the turnip.

[NewJerseyJoe]

I am all for rolling back (even temporarily) the prescription drug plan -- my second-largest complaint against Dubya, after his continual (and puzzling) failure to secure our borders.

However, did you notice that these congresspeople did "the obvious"? They aimed for the lowest hanging fruit on the tree -- the easiest target to hit, the prescription drug plan. Do we see any of them going back to their own state pork projects, saying, "Oh, we really don't need that $12 million to study lobster semen" or "My constituents will gladly forgo the $36 million for the Boer history museum."

As I wrote, I'd be glad to see a dent in the Rx drug plan. But I will have NO accolades for these politicians -- of either party -- until they start curbing themselves of these wasteful and ridiculous pork spending habits. I'm not holding my breath.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said there is a need for dramatic spending cuts in "big-ticket items."

If the GOP Congress makes some serious spending cuts to pay for the Katrina relief, it will be a big step in the right direction.

>>>>Raising taxes or not making permanent the president's tax cuts is not the answer now, said Pence, head of the Republican Study Group, the spearhead group for the GOP's most conservative members.

Many FReepers have said Mike Pence is a Reagan conservative. From just these two statements of his, I would agree. There is plenty of pork in the highway bill and the energy bill to make up tens of billions of dollars. Freezing the PDP for a year could save another $50-billion.

Were theres a will, theres a way.

[FreedomCalls]

We could replace Air Force One with a Lear. That would be a tremendous cut in expenditures. Bush could then lead by example.

Not really. It would just push all the support staff off onto other aircraft. It would be a wash.

[Sometimes A River]

I've got my beefs against Bush too, but AF1 isn't among them.

AF 1, along with it's communications capabilities is not Bush's plane, but the Presidents plane.

[stylin19a]

How is pushing 40 billion a year in spending back a year considered a cut ?

[Graybeard58]

Members of congress are for cutting pork as long as it isn't their pork.

[FreeReign]

Take that ill-advised drug benefit and stuff it in the trash can. It's been the President's worst policy idea yet.

Yes, it's been his worst.

[cynicom]

Support???? Hell no, if George is afraid to go alone among the masses, better he stay home.Bare bones flying for George from now on and I will gladly curtail my lavish use of fuel by half per week.

Safe bet, huhh?????

[traviskicks]

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., said there is a need for dramatic spending cuts in "big-ticket items."
---

Pence Bump!

[Sometimes A River]

Perfect argument for term limits and a line item veto.

[nopardons]

Is there to be a "BOER HISTORY MUSEUM" in the United States? I simply can't believe that one.

[stylin19a]

there once was a line item veto...SCOTUS adiosed it.
Not sure how it can be made constitutional