Monday, February 19, 2007

Bush Budget Screws Troops



“It's clearly a budget.
It's got a lot of numbers in it.”

-G.W. Bush, 5/5/2000






WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration plans to cut funding for veterans' health care two years from now — even as badly wounded troops returning from Iraq could overwhelm the system.

After an increase sought for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing rapidly (by more than 10 percent in recent years) White House budget documents assume consecutive cutbacks in 2009 and 2010 and a freeze thereafter.

The proposed cuts are unrealistic in light of recent VA budget trends — its medical care budget has risen every year for two decades and 83 percent in the six years since Bush took office — sowing suspicion that the White House is simply making them up to make its long-term deficit figures look better.


(That's right - George proposes to balance the budget on the backs of the wounded troops that he sent off to war. But come on, his hands are tied. He can hardly repeal those massive tax cuts for the richest 1% of Americans now, can he?) - DU

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