Sign In
Register
Help
This topic is locked
Posted 03 September 2005 - 03:08 AM
QUOTE
With the cost of reconstruction expected to far exceed the $14 billion the federal government spent in Florida last year after a series of hurricanes, some congressional analysts were predicting that Bush's efforts to curb federal spending and overhaul Social Security would be dashed.
"This is a serious matter that calls into question all sorts of things," said Steve Bell, chief of staff to Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.), chairman of a subcommittee that will handle much of the relief funding. "Do you think we're going to be able to pass substantial Medicaid cuts and Social Security reform in the middle of this? You can't put that much on the plate."
"This is a serious matter that calls into question all sorts of things," said Steve Bell, chief of staff to Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.), chairman of a subcommittee that will handle much of the relief funding. "Do you think we're going to be able to pass substantial Medicaid cuts and Social Security reform in the middle of this? You can't put that much on the plate."
in other words, we'd like to cut health care for the poor when there's already 45 million people in the u.s. without health and we'd like to repeal the estate tax on the weathiest peiple in the country, but this hurricane thing is getting in the way of our plans to completely hand the the government over to shareholders and corporate shamans.
QUOTE
The disaster in the Gulf Coast changes the political dynamic on other big issues before Congress. For example, images of stranded hurricane victims in squalid shelters give Democrats ammunition against GOP plans to hold a vote next week on repealing the estate tax, a measure critics say benefits only the wealthiest taxpayers.
That vote had been scheduled before Congress began its monthlong August recess. In a letter Thursday, Reid urged GOP leaders to postpone the issue.
"Given the tragic and devastating events along the Gulf Coast, members of the Senate would have great difficulty explaining why we were debating the estate tax during our first days back," Reid said in his missive to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).
.
That vote had been scheduled before Congress began its monthlong August recess. In a letter Thursday, Reid urged GOP leaders to postpone the issue.
"Given the tragic and devastating events along the Gulf Coast, members of the Senate would have great difficulty explaining why we were debating the estate tax during our first days back," Reid said in his missive to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).
.
MultiQuote
