In a party line vote, which saw some members switch sides. The US Senate barely passed a bill calling for cuts of $40 billion in the next budget. It should be noted that this is the first cap on spending increases since 1997 and at that it is only a drop in the bucket. When talking about a budget of trillions of dollars, $40 billion is practically meaningless.
Under Bush, government spending has expanded significantly, and this spending has not been limited to the war on terror. The President has declared 2009 as a target date for cutting the deficit in half. This is a lofty goal, but given the spending spree enjoyed by Washington politicians, there is real doubt that such a goal can be achieved. Much of the cuts in the bill passed yesterday involved entitlement programs. Though these cuts are only nominal, Democrats were no less angry, arguing it will adversely affect the poor and the middle class, a charge that has no basis in reality or common sense.
Again the Democrats fail to recognize that such entitlement programs have done little to alleviate poverty in the past 40 years. In reality it is inaccurate to categorize this meager bill as a budget cut. The country will continue to spend more on these services than at present, this can hardly be construed as a “cut.” The bill simply calls for a cap on the rate of increase. This reality is lost on many Americans due to the failure of our educational system, which places little emphasis on understanding economics. Sadly, the Washington crowd will not accept the inescapable need for genuine budgetary reform.
The US budget is far too large, and requires a massive overhaul. In the last few years, the government has re-embraced a carefree spending attitude, after having balanced the budget some time ago. What is truly needed are strict limits on spending, with certain legal measures in place to prevent excessive spending, such as a balanced budget amendment.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20051222-122615-6877r.htm
