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

[thoughtomator]

Ah now that is the question! Are these real or theoreticuts?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

The same bill probably has $50 billion in new spending buried in the fine print.

[HHKrepublican_2]

Where is the money going?...or is it just not going.

[DoughtyOne]

Let me guess...

Is this a reduction in the projected growth spending due to take affect in 2032?

[rattrap]

And that is the most important question. I bet dollars to donuts it's the latter.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

And don't forget the oriental garden for the new CDC visitor's center that sparked a heated debate between Senator Coburn and my dreaded Senator Specter. After Senator Coburn asked how we can afford such extravagance when we've got people dying of AIDs, Senator Spector allowed as how perhaps they might be able to get by with a smaller garden.

[Crawdad]

36 billion over 360 years.

[Brilliant]

Small change.

[Veritas et equitas ad Votum]

"Never happen because of the pork."

Stop voting for anyone who votes for a bill with pork in it.

[soccer_maniac]

In percentage terms it's a tiny cut, but it's a cut.

http://www.ssa.gov/qa.htm

[MNJohnnie]

It's a start. Too bad the Whine all the time Choir will never give them any credit for it.

[Lucky2]

Finally, the republicans have gotten the message...we hope!

[HHKrepublican_2]

Theyve given us an inch...anyone got a ruler??

[Great Caesars Ghost]

Just hope Bush does not decide to use his veto pen for the first time on this!

Well, he's not going to want Kanye West to say that George Bush Doesn't Care About Poor People...

[inquest]

Yes, provided that it's real, it's a start. But only a very small one. We still need to keep the pressure up so that it doesn't get reversed in a single unnoticed stroke three months from now.

[HHKrepublican_2]

Who crossed party lines\abstained

[Great Caesars Ghost]

Oh no, they'll start whining, I predict... tomorrow about mean old Republicans taking food from old people's mouths and making them not able to afford their Alpo.

[evad]

..make modest cuts to the health care programs for the elderly, poor and disabled, but leave the food stamp program untouched.

Oh no!! We're back to killing old people.

[Black Tooth]

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

Elderly lose? Food stamps untouched? Interesting. There was just an article yesterday about the U.S. giving many billions away in foreign aid. Again.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Are these actual cuts (i.e., spending less in real dollars than the previous year) or just less than what had been originally planned (but still an increase in spending)?

That was my first thought.