Budget Deal Axes Billions For Most Vulnerable

[TampaYankee]

Inside The Budget Deal: Vulnerable Populations Targeted, But Family Planning Saved

First Posted: 04/12/11 01:06 PM ET Updated: 04/12/11 02:17 PM ET

WASHINGTON –- Congressional leaders unveiled their final budget deal early Tuesday, a $1.049 trillion spending plan that axes billions of dollars for some of the most vulnerable populations while preserving a handful of priorities for both parties.

The budget, which will keep the government funded through the end of September, includes an across-the-board cut of 0.25 percent to every domestic agency.

Key highlights include:

•$600 million in cuts to community health centers.

•$414 million in cuts to grants for state and local police departments.

•A whopping $1.6 billion cut in the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, of which nearly $1 billion comes from grants for clean water and other projects by local governments and Indian tribes.

•Cuts to homeland security programs for the first time ever, though much of the agency's two percent decrease stems from a $786 million cut in first responder grants to state and local governments.

•A $7 million cut to the Bureau of Public Debt, which accounts for and provides reports on the debt.

•A $1 billion cut to HIV and disease-prevention funds.

•A $3 billion cut to agriculture programs, the biggest portion of which comes from the Women Infants and Children fund, which loses $504 million.

•A $390 million cut to low-income heating assistance; Community Development Funds are cut by $942 million.

•Contributions to the United Nations and other international institutions are cut by $377 million.

•$45 million pulled from nuclear nonproliferation funds.

•A $650 million cut to federal highway investments.

•A rider tucked in by lawmakes from Western states that allows states to remove wolves from the endangered species list.

Democrats were able to preserve some of their education priorities, including keeping Pell Grant awards at $4,860 and giving a slight boost to funds for Head Start. They also prevented Republicans from slashing funds for the National Institutes of Health: The agency will absorb a $260 million cut, rather than the $1.6 billion cut sought by House Republicans.

Democrats also rescued family planning programs from elimination; instead, they will face a five percent cut. But the budget does restore the D.C. abortion ban, which prohibits the city from using federal or local funds for abortions, for five months.

Republicans can claim victory in defunding two programs under health care reform: the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan and Free Choice Voucher programs. They also succeeded in eliminating several of the Obama administration’s “czars” for healthcare, climate change, autos and urban affairs.

See original article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/inside-the-budget-deal_n_848089.html

[TampaYankee]

This budget is obscene!! The cut in community health centers is unconscionable, short sighted, penny-wise and pound foolish. So is the cut to state and local governments which will cut police, fire, and teacher jobs - a safety issue as well as a jobs/economy issue. The same for the cuts to highway investments -- jobs, jobs, jobs -- and not with make-work but infrastructure investments that will benefit the economy for decades. A big cut to WIC, the most vulernable of the vulnerable.

Sure, we can defer clean water projects for a while under these emergency conditions and farm subsidies too which are unlikely. Not all of these cuts are bad or cannot be tolerated. But this budget is obscene for much of what it cuts, especially when you consider that Congress just gave Big Oil a $4 Billion tax break thus necesssitating offsetting budget cuts. Just obscene!!

Everybody is taking their eye off the ball. What we need now is jobs, jobs, jobs, not short term budget cuts, but short term jobs spending. We need long term budget reform for sure and now is the time to start working on it so that it can be phased in 3-5 years down the line, after we get jobs going.

We cannot cut our way out of the deficit. We must have revenue. That comes from jobs and wealth creation: investment, development, and profit realization.

Even the Dems have lost sight of the economy needs in favor of short term politics as erroneously framed by the GOP. The Dems are hopelessly out-manuevered, out-messaged by the GOP. They are very consistent in this shortcoming.

[Guest hitoallusa]

You can't go against these oil companies. They have top lawyers, lobbyists, consultants and ex-government officials working for them. They can change laws if they want to. They have publicists and consultants who can direct the news media and they have research institutions that will publish anything that will be helpful for their business.

The funny thing is mindless college students copy and paste those articles in their term papers. Once they graduate they will do anything for money. No moral and no sense of responsibility.

Fortunately not all are like that so I guess we still have hope.

[Guest zipperzone]

I see little to none re hope for the future. With the present political climate neither side will agree to anything the other wants and little chance that "needs" are even addressed. The world must be laughing their tits off. Let's call a spade a spade. They're broke - if they don't get their act together PDQ, the only thing left to be decided is who will be appointed as receiver.

[lookin]

In full agreement, TY, and buoyed by your passion. With all that's going on in this country and in the world, for our legislative branch to be obsessing over the best way to cut health services to the elderly and poor is a disgrace. I don't see how these guys sleep at night. I expect that most have acid stomach.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Once again Lookin has come up with a great picture. Unfortunately, they enjoy their life.

I don't see how these guys sleep at night. I expect that most have acid stomach.