Biting the hand that feeds him: Bush betrays the poor
Igor Volsky
Issue date: 2/24/05 Section: Opinion
An August 2004 Congressional Budget Office study confirmed that from 2001 to 2004, the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans experienced a drop in their federal taxes from 64.4 to 63.5 percent. The richest 1 percent of Americans, "earning $1.1 million saw their share fall to 20.1 percent of the total, from 22.2 percent." Middle class Americans experienced a tax increase. Those earning $51,500 to $75,600 "saw their share of federal tax payments increase. Households earning around $75,600 saw their tax burden jump the most, from 18.7 percent of all taxes to 19.5 percent."
The tax cuts have effectively shifted the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. And in his 2006 budget, the President is kicking the poor while they're down. The more desperate their situation becomes, the greater the possibility for recruitment. Because of this, the $2.5 trillion budget eliminates education, environmental and housing programs. Forty-eight education programs will be cut, rural health grants will be phased out, many federal-funded community food and malnutrition programs will be terminated, food stamp benefits would be eliminated for 200,000 to 300,000 people, "a freeze in child-care funding would cut the number of low-income children receiving help by 300,000 in 2009" and Medicaid will face a $45 billion reduction over the next 10 years.
Meanwhile, the President plans to make his tax cuts permanent at a cost of $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years and to eliminate two obscure tax previsions that carry with them $115 billion 10-year price tag. And while such policies disproportionately benefit households making over $200,000 a year, they are financed through the sacrifices of the middle class. Most American military families fall below the $200,000 income bracket and find themselves at the mercy of Bush's domestic reductions.
Here in Poughkeepsie, military and other middle class families are already hurting. In recent weeks, the YWCA has been forced to shut down. The Youth Resource Development Corp., "an agency which provided job training and life skills to [577] local young people for 20 years" has also had to close it doors and file for bankruptcy. Program directors blame the closure on a loss of state and federal funding and foresee more closings in the future. President Bush's 2006 budget brings this vision to fruition. The proposed budget cuts grants to state and local governments by $10.7 billion and reduces federal spending on domestic programs by 14 percent over the next five years.
If all presidential budgets provide a glimpse into administration priorities, then Bush's interests lie with the top 20 percent of Americans. While the president acknowledges that "during this time of war, we must continue to support our military and give them the tools for victory," his domestic and foreign priorities endanger the soldiers and financially devastate their families.
Such policies only aide international terrorists and endanger Americans.
Don't take my word for it; go read Porter Goss's statement. I'm simply pointing out the obvious.
The tax cuts have effectively shifted the tax burden from the rich to the middle class. And in his 2006 budget, the President is kicking the poor while they're down. The more desperate their situation becomes, the greater the possibility for recruitment. Because of this, the $2.5 trillion budget eliminates education, environmental and housing programs. Forty-eight education programs will be cut, rural health grants will be phased out, many federal-funded community food and malnutrition programs will be terminated, food stamp benefits would be eliminated for 200,000 to 300,000 people, "a freeze in child-care funding would cut the number of low-income children receiving help by 300,000 in 2009" and Medicaid will face a $45 billion reduction over the next 10 years.
Meanwhile, the President plans to make his tax cuts permanent at a cost of $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years and to eliminate two obscure tax previsions that carry with them $115 billion 10-year price tag. And while such policies disproportionately benefit households making over $200,000 a year, they are financed through the sacrifices of the middle class. Most American military families fall below the $200,000 income bracket and find themselves at the mercy of Bush's domestic reductions.
Here in Poughkeepsie, military and other middle class families are already hurting. In recent weeks, the YWCA has been forced to shut down. The Youth Resource Development Corp., "an agency which provided job training and life skills to [577] local young people for 20 years" has also had to close it doors and file for bankruptcy. Program directors blame the closure on a loss of state and federal funding and foresee more closings in the future. President Bush's 2006 budget brings this vision to fruition. The proposed budget cuts grants to state and local governments by $10.7 billion and reduces federal spending on domestic programs by 14 percent over the next five years.
If all presidential budgets provide a glimpse into administration priorities, then Bush's interests lie with the top 20 percent of Americans. While the president acknowledges that "during this time of war, we must continue to support our military and give them the tools for victory," his domestic and foreign priorities endanger the soldiers and financially devastate their families.
Such policies only aide international terrorists and endanger Americans.
Don't take my word for it; go read Porter Goss's statement. I'm simply pointing out the obvious.