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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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To: Once-Ler; Reagan Man
Clinton got a balanced budget from the Congress at the expense of our military, but his spending in 95 was 20.7% of GDP. Reagan's in 85 was 22.8% of GDP. Dubya's was 19.9% in 05. So far Dubya's budgets have all been smaller in terms of GDP than the Reagan/Bush budgets. The budgets Dubya signed are not much higher than the 18.4% and 18.6% GPD spending of the lowest budgets clinton signed.

Wow, I didn't know that once-Ler. Good points.

61 posted on 02/06/2006 12:50:06 AM PST by Recovering_Democrat ((I am SO glad to no longer be associated with the party of Dependence on Government!))
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To: Recovering_Democrat; Once-Ler; Reagan Man

BTW, do you have sources for that info? I'd love to use it in a debate w/someone at work.


62 posted on 02/06/2006 12:51:13 AM PST by Recovering_Democrat ((I am SO glad to no longer be associated with the party of Dependence on Government!))
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To: Jim Robinson
A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

L

63 posted on 02/06/2006 12:51:50 AM PST by Lurker (In God I trust. Everybody else shows me their hands.)
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To: ncountylee

Watch the stuck pigs start to squeal.


64 posted on 02/06/2006 12:56:50 AM PST by IonInsights
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To: albertp; Allosaurs_r_us; Abram; AlexandriaDuke; Americanwolf; Annie03; Baby Bear; bassmaner; ...
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
65 posted on 02/06/2006 1:52:03 AM PST by freepatriot32 (Holding you head high & voting Libertarian is better then holding your nose and voting republican)
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To: Southack

you would rather increase spending?


66 posted on 02/06/2006 1:54:11 AM PST by woofie
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To: Southack

Sorry its late and I saw the sarcasm tag later...

I should redirect my comments to all the whiners


67 posted on 02/06/2006 1:58:44 AM PST by woofie
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To: Recovering_Democrat
BTW, do you have sources for that info? I'd love to use it in a debate w/someone at work.

I got it from an archived pdf I downloaded from http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2006/ Historical Tables, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2006

I took my numbers from the 2005 release. The new 2006 release shows the 2005 budget was actually 20.3% of GDP not 19.9% as I posted, but everything else is still accurate. All of Dubya's budgets have had lower spending in terms of GDP than the Reagan/Bush budgets.

68 posted on 02/06/2006 2:06:11 AM 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
Eliminating 141 obsolete, unneeded, wasteful programs is really a good start. Who do you think started these programs in the first place? No Democrat will ever remove a program they sponsored or billed, just not in their character.

Can you imagine the media frenzy if it worked out to 240 (or more) programs ended?

Also, the cost to run these programs is about 60% of their budgeted money anyway.
69 posted on 02/06/2006 2:07:33 AM PST by SR 50 (Larry)
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To: ncountylee

Remember that every "program" that is cut means more money in the pockets of taxpayers.

A careful study by economists, not working for the government, has estimated that the American people are overtaxed by over 70 percent.

Notice that no administration ever proposes cutting perks, plunder, or waste.


70 posted on 02/06/2006 5:35:07 AM PST by R.W.Ratikal
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To: ncountylee

Remember that every "program" that is cut means more money in the pockets of taxpayers.

A careful study by economists, not working for the government, has estimated that the American people are overtaxed by over 70 percent.

Notice that no administration ever proposes cutting perks, plunder, or waste.


71 posted on 02/06/2006 5:35:50 AM PST by R.W.Ratikal
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To: ncountylee

Remember that every "program" that is cut means more money in the pockets of taxpayers.

A careful study by economists, not working for the government, has estimated that the American people are overtaxed by over 70 percent.

Notice that no administration ever proposes cutting perks, plunder, or waste.


72 posted on 02/06/2006 5:36:20 AM PST by R.W.Ratikal
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To: ncountylee

Remember that every "program" that is cut means more money in the pockets of taxpayers.

A careful study by economists, not working for the government, has estimated that the American people are overtaxed by over 70 percent.

Notice that no administration ever proposes cutting perks, plunder, or waste.


73 posted on 02/06/2006 5:36:46 AM PST by R.W.Ratikal
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To: Cobra64

"I hate socialism where a half of my income is confiscated by government entities."

So do a lot of FReepers, until you propose cutting their pet subsidy.


74 posted on 02/06/2006 5:38:35 AM PST by BeHoldAPaleHorse (Tagline deleted at request of moderator.)
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To: basil

It's a live and well and will haunt taxpayers for generations.

Many seniors don't even want the silly thing, but government keeps bullying them to get with the program.


75 posted on 02/06/2006 5:41:38 AM PST by Skooz (Chastity prays for me, piety sings............Modesty hides my thighs in her wings......)
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To: K-oneTexas

By and large, seniors have the most wealth. There is ZERO reason for anybody to be subsidizing drugs for seniors who can afford it themselves.


76 posted on 02/06/2006 5:43:14 AM PST by chris1
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To: F16Fighter

Call me racist whatever, I am sick of most muslims. I have yet to meet an honest one yet and am utterly tired of their animalistic tendencies and knee-jerk "outrage".

I wish they would be asking themselves why we hate them rather than the us wondering why they hate us.


77 posted on 02/06/2006 5:46:29 AM PST by chris1
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To: ncountylee

MSM: "Evil Republicans starve millions of elderly, women, and children. News at 10 P.M."


78 posted on 02/06/2006 5:50:27 AM PST by Lockbar (March toward the sound of the guns.)
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To: KevinDavis
...Baby steps folks, try to get rid of 40 plus year mentality that the government has to provide everything is a tough job.

should read: ...Baby steps folks, try to get rid of 40 plus year mentality that the government has to provide everybody thing is a tough a job.

79 posted on 02/06/2006 5:51:12 AM PST by pageonetoo (email for Celebrity Cruises (and more)- www.acorntogo.com -Acorn Travel)
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To: Skooz
I'm one of those seniors who absolutely does NOT want the free government drugs! Medicare is an embarrassment to me. I much prefer to pay my own way--but that's now impossible.

I absolutely cringe when I have to pull out that medicare card at the doctor's office. I feel like I am a welfare recipient--

80 posted on 02/06/2006 5:53:00 AM PST by basil (Exercise your Second Amendment--buy another gun today!)
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