Since the American public instated and re-affirmed the current Republican leadership in Congress and the Presidency, I am not surprised at all about the recent passage of measures to allow for oil drilling in the ANWR national wildlife reserve. (Facts have yet to phase these politicians; rather, lucrative oil contract profit-sharing (kickback?) contracts seem to have been driving some senators.)
That topic aside -- we were asking for it -- I am appalled at the poor reporting that Congress is getting from CNN today. Note their article on a recent budget bill that would "slash spending" through $35 billion in discrestionary funding. Some of the cuts seem quite reasonable, such as subsidies to insurance companies. However, one quote made me really wonder whether he's in touch with reality:
"Bush didn't make too much of the veto threat issued in his name, instead thanking the Senate for the cuts to health care programs for the elderly, poor and disabled while leaving food stamps untouched." (emphasis added)
By the end of the article about Republican fiscal irresponsibility, the bombshell: countering the $35 billion in cuts is an additional $35 billion in new spending.
So, we see that this is not a deficit reduction bill at all! Why then is this bill being lauded by Congressional Republicans and being described by the media as a deficit-fighting measure?
Hopefully they'll be able to start cutting out most of the fluff with their improved Newspeak.
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