Budget // Current TV

Rethuglicans will put a gun to America's head again

Here we go again folks: WASHINGTON — US lawmakers said Tuesday a new budget... more

lazloman
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Where's the Oversight? State Officials Also Failing to Study Impact of Private Contractors

It's not just the federal government that is wasting money by failing to do... more

dliebelson
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1 year ago
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Eric Cantor Offsets Disaster Relief With a 40% Cut To First Responders

As expected, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is set to demand spending cuts in exchange for disaster relief. The surprise is that he wants to cut the budget for training and equipping first responders by 40%.

Politico reported that Cantor is going to demand more “spending offsets” in exchange for disaster relief,

But a spokesperson for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) signaled late Friday that the GOP is likely to insist on offsets for the $500 million in emergency funds Obama requested for 2011, while dealing with the 2012 funds under a new set of rules agreed to as part of the August debt accord.

“The House has passed $1 billion in disaster relief funds that is fully offset, which we will look to move as quickly as possible,” she said. “There will be no delay in meeting the president’s request and providing people the aid they need.”

Think Progress noted that cuts that Cantor is eyeing come in the form of additional slashes to the Homeland Security budget for training and equipping first responders. Cantor wants an additional 40% cut, on top of the 19% hit that the first responder budget already took this year. Rep. Cantor wants to make sure that in the event of a disaster or terrorist attack America has fewer first responders, and that the remaining first responders do not have the equipment that they need.

The hypocrisy is that Cantor and his fellow Republicans never demanded spending offsets during the Bush administration. In 2004, George W. Bush pushed for a 10% increase in the Homeland Security budget, and as a member of the House majority, Eric Cantor did not oppose the additional funding. In 2003, Cantor supported an additional $78 billion in “emergency” war spending for Iraq and Afghanistan with no spending offsets required.

Eric Cantor never asked for dollar for dollar cuts to pay for the Homeland Security budget and two wars, but yet he is demanding dollar for dollar spending cuts for disaster relief and FEMA. The fact that he is cutting first responders demonstrates that these cuts aren’t about spending.

This isn’t even about small government. In the past many of the slashes to the budget for training first responders were in the form of grants to state and local governments to train first responders. Ideologically, Cantor’s position is that there should be no federal involvement in disaster relief and first responders, but what he looking to slash are programs that benefit state and local preparedness.

Majority Leader Cantor and his office don’t want the American people to know that they are eyeing up gutting the funding for training and equipping first responders. This is why they publicly will only refer to the cuts as spending offsets. They don’t want to tell the American people that spending offsets is really code for slashing the budget for training and equipping first responders.

Republicans talk a good game about protecting the American people, but when it comes to actually following through, the Cantor and the GOP slip back into their de facto motto of Politics First
http://t.co/1S2LTyTAs expected, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is set to demand spending cuts in... more

letsliveinpeace
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1 year ago
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90 comments

Obama to reveal $300 billion stimulus

But will he play hard ball and get it through Congress? Mr. President, you have... more

lazloman
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1 year ago
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4 comments

When is the President Going to Show Some Backbone?

Isn't it time to stop playing THEIR game and act like you're the PRESIDENT?... more

ParkyBill
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1 year ago
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WSJ: Public schools charge kids for basics, frills

MEDINA, Ohio—Karen Dombi was thrilled when her three oldest children were picked... more

Cabal
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1 year ago
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Newstalgia Reference Room - Fixing the Budget In 1957. | Newstalgia

"You'll feel a sticking sensation". Sound familiar?

Gordonskene
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Oops! Social Security actually has a long term surplus

Bloomberg economic editor stumbles on his own chart that purports to show why cuts are... more

lazloman
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1 year ago
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134 comments

Paul Ryan no free town halls

Tea baggers: Flag carrying, constitution waving traitors who will undermine the... more

lazloman
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1 year ago
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Obama to push jobs and tax cuts

President Barack Obama will announce a double-barrelled economic package that aims to... more

lazloman
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1 year ago
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Social Insecurity?

WWH – I was listening to NPR the other morning and they were talking with... more

joeeddy
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1 year ago
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Moody's says U.S. needs to find more deficit cuts

Ratings agency Moody's repeated a warning on Monday it could downgrade the United... more

sitsi
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1 year ago
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I Don't Know if YOU want to fly anymore. FAA cuts.

In an interview with the Daily Beast, hero pilot Chesley "Sully"... more

GoodGodGuy
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Escalating Military Spending and the Debt Ceiling: Lots of Posturing, No Solution.

It is self-evident that no sickness can be successfully cured without proper diagnosis... more

Pfailblog
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1 year ago
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'Dollar Bill Protest' underway

Face it – sometimes, organizing a national protest can cost too much. That... more

regroce
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1 year ago
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I Wonder If My Creditors Will Understand?

CONGRESS, Last year I mismanaged my funds and this year my family and I cannot decide... more

chrisntom
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1 year ago
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2 comments

Destruction of America

Cutting spending without increasing revenues will only solve half of the problem.... more

kvb1
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1 year ago
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WHACKO-TV CONGRESSIONAL CONGESTION

What is happening in Washington, DC lately is enough to drive the most politically... more

dwightdouglas
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1 year ago
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Nieman Watchdog > Commentary > At least 1,400 arrests for antiwar dissent, but who’s counting? Not the press.

The national news media almost totally ignore homefront protests of the Afghanistan... more

frankpatton
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1 year ago
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Mr. President, You Do It ! It's Your Job Too !

"Bipartisan talks falter; Boehner, Reid work on separate proposals"... more

COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
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