Bush in Never-Never Land
It must be nice to live in Never-Never Land, freed of all chains to reality, all compulsion to make the numbers at least sort of add up. George W. Bush is clearly in such a place. Where losing a war doesn’t foreclose claiming victory. And where the near orgasmic joy of cutting the taxes of the rich, need bear no relationship to anything else that’s going on.
(AP) Bush budget cements expiring tax cuts
President Bush asked Congress on Monday to slash taxes by $1.9 trillion over the next decade, cementing his first-term tax cuts while changing the way health insurance is taxed.
The lion’s share of the president’s proposed tax reductions would come from making permanent his signature cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003, at a cost of $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years. Those cuts would otherwise evaporate at the end of 2010.
“Well-timed, pro-growth tax policies helped create the right climate for innovation and entrepreneurship,” powering a resilient economy, Bush said in his budget message.
The president also proposed a variety of individual and business tax breaks, including incentives for retirement and health care savings. He asked for an extension of a popular research and development tax credit, at a cost of $117.3 billion over 10 years. The cost of extending Bush’s earlier tax cuts would be $146.5 billion in 2011 alone — the first year after they are set to expire.
Yes, a lovely place to live — Never-Never Land. It’s just too bad that it’s proven to be such a piss poor place to pick a president from.
February 6th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Bush stated in a radio address that Americans need to make sacrifices during wartime. It is quite evident that Bush exempts the wealthy and his corporate buddies from making any sacrifices. His budget cuts target the elderly and children. Do they target Oil Mafias like Exxon? No, of course not. Do they ask the wealthy, who are getting fatter by the day, to pay more in taxes? To pay their FAIR share? No, of course not. Has he demanded that Congress close up tax loopholes, offshore accounts, and other dirty, little tricks of legal tax evasion? No, of course not. Bush is busily building his class-based Oligarchy-a country, by, of, and for the wealthy.He demands that everyone else make sacrifices and be sacrificed, except HIS CLASS, the wealthy and the powerful. He would like the elderly to die off as quickly as possible. He would like the poor to do the same. He has no compassion for impoverished children, for the disabled, for anyone who struggles to survive. Compassionate Conservatism-the greatest, ugliest, most nauseating oxymoron ever invented. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, The Neo-Con Cabal and all of the associated Trough Feeders wouldnt recognize compassion if it sat on their lap! They are totally defined by greed and arrogance. Their sense of entitlement makes a stench that can be smelled around the world.
I am so angry about Bush’s budget, that I am shaking. Look at AOL’s most recent poll. Bush gets socked on every item. And, AOL polls used to skew to the Right. Yet, we are stuck with this petty, nasty piece of excrement for 2 more horrendous years. In that time, this pathetic excuse of a human being will attempt to completely destroy social safety nets, outsource most of government to corporate crooks and cronies, let New Orleans go ever further down the drain, and start at least one more war. In the meantime, the idiots in Congress will issue pieces of paper that arent worth wiping your fanny on. What does Nancy Pelosi do? She demands a bigger and better jet to tootle her around the country. She didnt even want to make a 2 hr. drive to a conference and asked for a jet. It was turned down. Should her head get any bigger, her scrawny body wont be able to hold it up. If the current state of our government doesnt make you want to rant and rave, you aren’t conscious. Just listening to the news is bad for your health, unless you are one of the warprofiteers or getting a hefty tax cut to buy your next yacht.
February 6th, 2007 at 9:52 am
There are two facts that keep me from “taking to the streets” over Bush’s budget.
One: The Democrats now control the House of Representatives. Bush’s budget is as good as Dead On Arrival (DOA ) in that body.
Second: The Chairman of the Appropriations Committee is none other than Dave Obey (D-Wisconsin) who is as good a progressive/liberal voice as we can ask.
Between these two elements, we’ll see a budget come out that will be far more fair and progressive than Bush’s fantasy island budget.
btw: heard on NPR this morning that the COPS program is shown as “$0″ under Bush’s budget….so much for “tough on crime” Republicans….
hizzhoner
February 6th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I’m looking for the new Dems in the House who ran as economic populists to use this budget to try to make an early mark for themselves and show their constituents that they were serious about theirt campaign pledges. I’m looking forward to the fights over the next budget.
February 7th, 2007 at 2:14 am
I wish I had more confidence in the Democratic Party and its Congressional representatives. Unfortunately, but for a few hardy souls like Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer and Kucinich, Murtha, Waxman, and the aforementioned Obey, I worry about a lot of back peddaling. At times, I wonder if the rest of them bother to look at the polls. In the Senate, that total ass Lieberman has relished his position as Spoiler. With the one Senator in the hospital, and recovery questionable, it will be difficult to get anything done about Iraq. I admit I am no big fan of Nancy Pelosi. In the House, the measures get passed, but are held up in the Senate and “doctored” by the Republican Pary Hacks. The Bush Budget is a Blasphemy. It robs from the poor to give to the rich. It champions the continuation of death and destruction. It has no relationship with reality, and laughs at compassion.
February 10th, 2007 at 1:03 am
My apologies to Nancy Pelosi. It turns out that The Media was playing a game of “Pass It On” where the original story gets so distorted after being passed on through several people, that it bears only passing resemblance to the original. The Republicans picked up on the story, after it got twisted on Lou Dobbs. Any port in a storm to distract the public from Iraq. The Speaker was not the one who asked for a bigger, better Jet. It was a security person, (title forgotten by me.) I still dont like Pelosi, but she doesnt deserve to be slammed for something she didnt do. And, by the way, have you noticed how the sad story of Anna Nicole has been grabbed by the Media like it was their only salvation? There are so many more important stories, but sex and gossip always rules the day.