Senate Approves Cuts to Social Programs (Cutting $36B in Spending!)

Fox News ^ | November 03, 2005 | AP

[HHKrepublican_2]

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday narrowly approved the first cuts since 1997 to benefit programs such as Medicare (search), Medicaid (search) and farm subsidies, giving Republicans a symbolic victory against ever-rising government spending.

The bill, passed by a 52-47 vote, would make modest cuts to the health care programs for the elderly, poor and disabled, but leave the food stamp program untouched.

The measure also would permit exploratory oil drilling in an Alaskan wilderness (search) area.

The spending battle now heads to the House, where Republicans are divided over whether to cut more deeply across a broader range of social programs.

The spending battle now heads to the House, where Republicans are divided over whether to cut more deeply across a broader range of social programs

[NeoCaveman]

Out of 2.5 trillion? I guess it's a start.

36 billion here, 36 billion there, pretty soon it starts adding up to some real money.

[EGPWS]

The left just can't take the truth.

The "left" wouldn't exist in a world of truth, politicians can't exist in a world of truth, many disdain the truth, so who is to complain when some can't handle the truth?

[jocko12]

It is time to get rid of the NE Rino's.

[HHKrepublican_2]

RINOS:COLEMAN DEWINE, CHAFEE AND SNOWE...
We know the defectors, lets get em

[EGPWS]

36 billion here, 36 billion there, pretty soon it starts adding up to some real money.

I'm content with MY 36 billion here thus I could care less about the 36 billion there.

[nicmarlo]

Between the RINO's and Hitlery and Schumer in NY.....I don't think I can take it anymore!!

[NeoCaveman]

Yeas, all Republicans except Collins, Snowe, Chafee, Norm Coleman, and DeWine.

No's, all Democrats except Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary Landreiu of LA.

Corzine not voting as he campaigns for governor.


http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00303

[EGPWS]

And you're bad to the bone. : )

That makes me perfect then....

lol!

[NeoCaveman]

Ben Nelson voted yes?! Can we count on him to help with the Alito nomination?

We can count on him before we can count on Lincoln Chafee.

[nicmarlo]

Not.....quite. : )

[George W. Bush]

Only in Washington is a reduction in the amount of increased spending considered to be a cut.

I had to scroll down to see who would be the first to say it.

Just another shabby trick by our congresscritters. There's no reason to think they're serious about cutting spending.

It's kind of like expecting crackheads to just cut back on the crack a little.

[little jeremiah]

CUT MORE!!! CUT MORE!!!! CUT MORE!!!

[EGPWS]

Not.....quite. : )

Prove it. ; )

[Wiseghy]

About time. Medicaid has become a quasi-national healthcare program, as more and more people qualify for it and spending in the programs rises at astronomical rates.

Medicaid recipients often bypass paying for employer programs or their own private insurance, since the coverage is nearly free and very comprehensive.
This makes private coverage more expensive for those who have to pay for it on their own.Coverage for dependents in these programs starts at only 300% of FPL, meaning that many people you know, including the office file clerk, the grocery bagger, receptionist, etc. all qualify for it. This greatly encourages people to work part-time and not get jobs that make too much. Ironically, that's why Walmart has been taking heat; many of their employees qualify. Medicaid is the worst case senario of out of control, unaccountable government spending in the name of building a dependent class of voters.

[nicmarlo]

But, then I'd be giving away my super secret ways of finding out things.....and then I'd have to, you know....kill ya. : )

[EGPWS]

Just another shabby trick by our congresscritters. There's no reason to think they're serious about cutting spending.

Perhaps just another shabby trick by others to convice all that it isn't serious.

KEEERIST, what would it take to politically please the likes of you?

[George W. Bush]

Ben Nelson voted yes?! Can we count on him to help with the Alito nomination?

Yes. Alito really is that good of a nominee.

Some great reporting today on how the Supreme Court took up three of his dissents (where he lost on his own court) and used those to overrule his colleagues. Alito is good. A judge's judge.

I'm not sure if even some conservatives yet appreciate just how excellent a jurist he is.

[AFPhys]

Jan IS pure BS... but Specter is the only one who can affect this. Don't bother talking to anyone else.

Me?... I'll just be happy if Specter doesn't vote against Alito - that would not surprise me at all - it also wouldn't surprise me if he voted against Frist if the "Constitutional/Byrd/Nuclear" option is needed to break a Demodog filibuster given the way he was so in favor of Miers' nomination.

[kerryusama04]

Yes, spending money preparing for the bird flu is noble. The bird flu affects the entire country and social programs are not constitutional. 7 billion is an amount derived from pure politics and a reactionary move based on recent natural disasters. It sets a precedent that media driven panic can drive policy.

[NeoCaveman]

I'm content with MY 36 billion here thus I could care less about the 36 billion there.

I'm happy this year. Next year I want another 36 billion.