Feb 09, 2007

TOP TEN “MISPLACED PRIORITIES” LIST OF THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET

Feb 9, 2007

TOP TEN "MISPLACED PRIORITIES" LIST OF THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET

More of the same – that’s all the President’s budget is offering. It hides the ball on the real costs of the War in Iraq and balances the budget on the backs of middle class families using the Alternative Minimum Tax. Read below for the top ten examples of the most egregious misplaced priorities. In November, Americans voted for a new direction for America – it’s time President Bush got the message.

1. TAX INCREASES FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES: Thirty-three million Americans will be forced to pay higher taxes through the Alternative Minimum Tax under his proposal.

2. CUTS TO HEALTH CARE AND SENIORS: The President’s budget cuts Medicare and Medicaid for approximately 80 million Americans by over $100 billion over five years, $300 billion over ten years.

3. CUTS TO HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE DURING THE COLDEST MONTHS: The President’s budget cuts home energy and heating assistance by 18%.

4. CUTS TO POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS: The President’s budget essentially eliminates funding for the COPS program which has added almost 120,000 community policing officers and deputies to the streets and cuts homeland security grants to local police and firefighters by more than a third.

5. A PLAN TO PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY: President Bush included his budget plan $29 billion to privatize Social Security despite a clear message from the country that Americans oppose it.

6. CUTS TO VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE: The President’s budget would force some of our proud veterans to pay as much as $750 dollars a year to join the Veterans’ Administration health care program.

7.CUTS TO EDUCATION: The President’s budget proposes a funding cut in education cutting more than 2 percent from the 2007 level while continuing to underfund the No Child Left Behind program.

8. CUTS TO HOUSING ASSISTANCE: The President’s budget cuts discretionary funding for federal housing programs by 8 percent and eliminates a key program, the HOPE VI program, which restores dilapidated housing.

9. CUTS TO BRAIN TRAUMA RESEARCH: The Bush budget eliminates a critical research program to study traumatic brain injuries at a time when over 1500 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are returning many suffering from traumatic brain injuries from IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).

10. EARMARKS!: President Bush’s budget sets aside earmarking funds for his own priorities such as earmarking $291 million to a so-called “healthy forests” program which many call a giveaway to logging companies that supported the President.

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