I'll Bet They Are

Let's see them reconcile the versions of this bill so that the American people benefit.

Senate Passes Plan to Cut $35 Billion From Deficit: "It would shave payments to some farmers by 2.5 percent, while eliminating a major cotton support program and trimming agriculture conservation spending. A proposal to limit payments to rich farmers failed yesterday (not really a surprise). The measure passed largely along party lines, with only two Democrats voting for it and five Republicans voting against it.

Yesterday's action is part of an effort by congressional Republicans to demonstrate fiscal discipline after widespread complaints of profligate spending on Capitol Hill. Although many Democrats and some moderate Republicans are concerned that the effort may go too far, prominent Republicans in the Senate and House said the cuts were necessary to slow the rate of spending and control a deficit projected to total $314 billion by the end of the fiscal year.

During a speech yesterday to a Heritage Foundation group, former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) repeatedly apologized for excessive spending by Congress, including recent highway legislation that was loaded with lawmakers' pet projects. After noting that House Republicans have voted to cut taxes ever year since winning the majority in 1994, DeLay acknowledged, 'Our record on spending has not been as consistent, unfortunately.' (ya think?)

The Senate bill would raise billions of dollars by auctioning off parts of the broadcasting spectrum for digital television. It would raise $2.5 billion through leasing parts of the Alaskan refuge to oil and gas interests. Companies with traditional pension plans would be charged higher premiums for insurance coverage under the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. And the profits of student lenders would be squeezed by $9.7 billion over five years. (Nobody's profits arre going to get squeezed, this is America, they will just pass it on.)

Some of the savings would be spent on relief for Katrina survivors and higher payments to health care providers helping Medicare patients. (We'll see, two months later and people are still waiting)

The focus now shifts to the House, where the Budget Committee voted 21 to 16 yesterday to approve a more extensive bill saving nearly $54 billion through 2010 with cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, student loans, agriculture subsidies and child support enforcement. The House measure would allow states to impose premiums and co-payments on poor Medicaid recipients for the first time. (Why? Because they can afford it?)

With so many controversial provisions, the House measure is forcing Republican leaders to scramble for support in what could be the most difficult vote of the year. Some Republican moderates are balking at cuts to anti-poverty programs, especially in light of a $70 billion tax cut that could come to a vote soon after the budget bill, more than wiping out the first bill's deficit reduction."

Must make sure those little people that didn't donate suffer a little more while those who don't really need the extra money receive a little sumpin, sumpin.

The sarcastic stuff in parentheses are my comments and the italics are my observations of the coming chasm within the Republican party.