Uneasy Over Deficit, G.O.P. Lawmakers Tackle the Budget

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/politics/10BUDG.html

WASHINGTON, March 9 — Increasingly anxious about the deficit as a political issue, Congressional Republicans are moving to reshape President Bush's budget, with some taking aim at his planned increases for the military and even considering steps to make it harder to extend the tax cuts that expire in 2011.

Despite their concerns, Republicans may end up approving a budget close to the president's. Indeed, Senate Republicans on Tuesday defeated, 51 to 46, a Democratic amendment that would have made it difficult for the Senate to create new tax cuts or increase spending unless the lost money was made up elsewhere. Also on Tuesday, several key Republican senators said Mr. Bush would probably secure the money he was seeking for the military budget.

The Republicans' willingness to consider trimming sacred cows like increases in military spending or reducing tax cuts shows how worrisome the ballooning budget deficit is.

...more...

[Skittles]

1. OH - *NOW* THEY ARE WORRIED ??

STUPID, ARROGANT, GREEDY F***ING ASSHOLES.

[virgdem]

2. This is a classic case of too little, too late - they should have been

concerned a long time ago. And it appears that they are still not going to do much about it, as they insist on defeating any sensible measure that the Democrats bring up for a vote. I hope they all sink under the collective weight of their own stupidity come November.

[truthisfreedom]

3. hand-wringing idiots who trusted a goofball president who trusted neo-con

weasels with a pseudo-religious fervor for their mad world-domination ploys...

who's going to save you worthless all-for-one-and-one-for-all idiot rethugs now? i guess an ELECTED Democratic president with an IQ more than double gw's and a lot of luck...

[w4rma]

4. But the rubber-stamp Republicans stay in lock-step behind *, anyway. (n/t)