"Compassionate" Bush will reduce the deficit on the backs of the disabled

[PA Democrat]

I don't have a link to this, but I received this in an email from the Autism Society of America. How surprising that Bush would cut critical funding for programs for the disabled. Those folks after all can't make big campaign contributions. :mad:


President Bush Releases FY 2008 Budget
Critical autism and disability programs are underfunded

On February 5, 2007, the President submitted his Fiscal Year 2008 budget to Congress for its review. With an aim toward reducing the deficit and balancing the budget by 2012, the President's budget included more than $100 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, and kept many other critical programs constant.

With respect to funding for autism, the President's budget contained no new funding for the Combating Autism Act (CAA). Although the budget includes level funding (estimated at $115 million) for existing surveillance and research programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it falls far short of the $168 million authorized in the CAA for FY 2008.

Special education programs are also significantly shortchanged in the proposed budget. The President's budget flat-funds the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) State Grant, the Preschool Grant and the Part C Early Intervention programs. The proposed funding level for the IDEA State Grant would actually decrease the per pupil federal share of funding for students with disabilities below 17 percent, well below the authorized amount of 40 percent. It also includes a $64 million cut for IDEA National Activities programs. Perhaps most problematic, the proposal includes no new funding for special education teacher preparation program, even as school districts are struggling to hire highly qualified teachers to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Other key disability programs are similarily affected. The budget eliminates the Supported Employment State Grant program, cuts 46 percent from the Section 811 HUD Supportive Housing program, and cuts 32 percent from the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment program. Vocational rehabilitation funding is reduced by $54 million, even failing to add the CPI increase (as required by law) to its budget request. Other cuts include the State Assistive Technology Programs and Technical Assistance, and the Projects with Industry program.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. No surprise. K&R.

His SOTU speechification was just more thousand-points-of-bullshit.

[PA Democrat]

2. Apparently the only thing that makes Bush feel good is bombing other countries.

He truly does not give a damn about the least among us despite his claims to be a "Christian".

[CrazyOrangeCat]

6. I'm sure he thinks . . .

. . . that the Sermon on the Mount is as outdated as the Constitution.

But that begs the question, "Does he actually ever think...?"



Manchurian Candidate, perhaps? His behavior is awfully bizarre . . . .

[nam78_two]

3. K&R-also by selling our National Parks....

and various other such prudent measures :eyes:

[EFerrari]

4. K&R

I just won't say anything. :mad:

[PA Democrat]

5. It makes me crazy.

I have tried to explain to my right-wing family that this is also a cost of Bush's dangerous priorities. Not only are we spreading violence and hatred around the world, but we are turning our backs on our most vulnerable citizens.

[EFerrari]

7. All areas of mental health services were ALREADY in shreds in 2000.

It makes me crazy, too. :hug:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

8. yep. Raygun started working them over decades ago n/t

[PA Democrat]

9. I hear you.

In my state services for people with autism are funded out of the Office of Mental Health. I've worked with a lot of people with mental illness and their families to advocate for more funding and better service. The whole system was grossly underfunded BEFORE Bush took office, now it is a complete shambles. It breaks my heart.

:hug:

[katsy]

10. What did anyone expect?

The have-nots in this society have no more value than Chinese peasants working for .20 a day (I'm not disparaging the Chinese people, they are where we may well be in very short order). And if we become incarcerated or have more value as organ donors... they'll kill for that. I have no doubts about this.

There is no American society or dream. The elite live off the backs of "global" peasants.

They don't need us and they don't expect us to need them. In their world view "defective" worker bees should die. Why do you think the majority of americans are ignored when it comes to legislation by the government? Why would they hate leftist Social Democracies more than fascist regimes? They have more in common with fascists. Why would they despise leaders who want an equitable sharing of a nation's wealth among all the people more than murderes?

The elite/nationalists have both the money and power... both are concentrated at the top and short of a revolt expect more of the same. They are not concerned with building a great society. Their concern is having it all. They hoard, they don't build. Autistic? Old? Wounded? Children of poverty? They don't perceive this as their problem. These are not human beings. These things do not honor any life but their own. And it bears repeating: These are not human beings. They are devoid of ethics and morality.

This should come as no surprise to anyone. There is no america anymore... at least not the one most of us were raised in.

[Edweird]

11. apparently dead poor people is ok with him.

Maybe he thinks poor people are better off that way. As long as it's through negligence and not poison gas, right? The gas is what got saddam in trouble, right?

[PA Democrat]

12. Bush's grandfather Prescott Bush was a supporter of the eugenics movement.

Looks like Dubya knows that forced sterilization wouldn't sit too well with the religious right, so he will resort to neglect to eliminate the "undesirables" in our society.

[Deja Q]

13. Flip-flop, spin the clock.