MSNBC Horror Re-Run: Return of the Evil Republican Spending Slashers

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"They strike on Capitol Hill. And no domestic program is safe. They're . . . the Evil Republican Spending Slashers!"

Just like "It's a Wonderful Life" at Christmas time, the MSM trots out the reruns of the "Evil Spending Slashers" every time a Republican president proposes to increase entitlement spending by less than some liberals would like.

With the spunky Contessa Brewer hosting in the studio, and reporter Patty Culhane braving the global-warming induced cold wave on the White House lawn, MSNBC ran a classic of the genre this afternoon. At one point the graphic below was displayed, warning of domestic spending "cuts" in a number of programs.

But when you read the fine print, as in this AP article, you find that, for example, the "cut" in Medicare is actually . . . a 6.7% increase. The "cut" is only from a theoretical increase of 7.6% that had apparently been earlier proposed. The article also reveals:

"Bush also calls for reducing Medicaid spending by about $25 billion over five years, which would just slightly dent the more than $1.2 trillion the federal government will spend on health care for the poor over the next five years."

But that didn't stop MSNBC from accusing President Bush, as you'll see in the scroll at the bottom of the first screencap, of "slashing" spending.

The liberal Democrats dutifully play their role in this horror film - with the MSM casting them as the good guys, of course. From the AP article: "Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., described the Medicare and Medicaid proposals as 'declaring war' on the poor."

Pass the popcorn. It's going to be a long budget process.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Evil-Republican-spending-slasher ping to Today show list.

[flashbunny]

what is it, 2.9 TRILLION and it's not enough?

That should be a lesson for the people who think the republican party has to run left otherwise it will be attacked by the MSM. The MSM will ALWAYS attack republicans, so you might as well be doing something worthwhile to earn it!

[SmoothTalker]

I miss Republican spending slashers. Haven't seen many of them around since 1994. I'd love to see us go at the budget with a vengence and cut non essential programs to the bone. Won't happen though.

[marlon]

I remember reading Martin Gross' Government Waste from A-Z. I think it was written in the early 90's and at the time the budget was a mere $1.2 trillion or so. He layed bare how at least $500 billion could be slashed tomorrow and no one would feel any pain or even notice it in their daily lives, other than the bureaucrats that is. It was very well reasoned and one could easily see how it was feasible.

I can only imagine at $2.9 trillion how much room to slash there must be. if it was $500 billion out of $1.2 trillion I would guess we could slash $1.5 trillion out and nobody would starve.

[Desperately Seeking Freedom]

If only this criticism were valid. I, too, miss the days when Republicans did stand for limited government, when they were brave enough to cut entitlement programs and articulate why that was neccessary to the cause of freedom. That was some time ago, by the way. I'm a Republican because I am proud to articulate a pro-freedom viewpoint. We should all be able to argue the point that "socialists of all parties" are what's wrong with America today. Basically, I think we Republicans have more to offer than being penny-pinching national accountants that only make cuts that "won't hurt anyone."

[iceskater]

Republican spending slashers.....where have they been for the last 6 years? Maybe if they had 'slashed' budgets for the last 6 years, they wouldn't be in the minority now.

[MarkL]

I wish that someone, somewhere, would bring charges of "false advertising" against the media. The leftist department of propaganda, AKA the MSM, isn't "spinning," isn't "exaggerating," but they're presenting BALD FACED LIES to the public, and framing it as "unbiased truth." Mark

[NickatNite2003]

You know...it's all such crap....
DemoLiberal Leftists are allways
going around putting on a front
like they are a league of George
Baileys', but if you really watch
the film, and see the world Georg
e Bailey brought about, versus the
world of Mr Potters fevered desires,
it becomes all too clear, who wants
the whores, the strip joints, the
crudity, and the dog eat dog world
of no George Baileys....Who advances
the dark, filty seedfy dangerous
world of suspicious souls and small
hearts...You'll see that it's really
the DemoLiberal Ledftist plague rats
that have been creating the anti-Bailey
realities that we see being shoved down
our throats by the left, and their ACLU
plague rats.

[G-Man 1]

I send all my RNC mail back saying BUILD THE MEX. BORDER FENCE-- DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALLIENS--STOP RUNAWAY EARMARK SPRNDING-- NO VOTE NO MONEY. I didn't receive my 07 calender. So I went to Wal-Mart and bought one. So their.