NO CUTS .. NO WAY .. NOT IN OUR LIFETIME

Yesterday, President Bush released his budget blueprint for fiscal year 2006, which begins in October of this year. It was $2.57 trillion. It does not include the additional $80 to $100 billion that will be needed for Iraq and Afghanistan.  

The White House claims it cut or eliminated 150 programs. This, of course, is unacceptable behavior for those who believe that America is great because of its government.  Democrats are already spinning around on their eyebrows  because of the cuts that were made, and because of the size of the deficit. But make no mistake: the Democratic answer to the deficit is not to cut spending. Their answer is to raise taxes as much as possible. Oh, and cut defense spending. 

Budget cuts?  Are they real?  Hardly.  What we're talking about here is merely  pennies compared to the trillions being spent on Social Security, Medicare and the like. However, Congress could save some money by eliminating such nonsense as Amtrak, farm subsidies and the Education department.

That's right -- I said eliminate the Education Department. Remember the Contract With America the Republicans ran on 10 years ago? It advocated eliminating the Education Department. There is not one single sentence in the U.S. Constitution that says anything about educating children. Unfortunately, during his first term, President Bush has expanded this department. The White House's budget request for FY 2006 for that department totals $56 billion.  By any measurable standard the quality of government education has gone down in the United States since the Department of Education was created.  It's time to return education to local control, and to get Washington DC out of the picture.

In the 10 years since the Republicans have controlled Congress, the size of the federal government has doubled. President Bush has gone on a spending spree that makes Bill Clinton look like a cheapskate. 

Unfortunately, politicians of neither party are going to ever truly cut spending. With the Democrats you get tax and spend, with the Republicans you get borrow and spend. Take your pick.

But let's concentrate on the Democrat's response to Bush's spending cut proposals.  The Democratic response could have been predicted.  Basically, the claim is that  every single dollar cut from any government program, no matter how ineffective, duplicative or unnecessary that program is, will hurt either senior citizens, children, veterans or the environment.    

Democrats have never seen a tax cut they didn't hate or a spending cut they could live with.  Democrats know that if they show any sense of approval for any tax cuts it undercuts their constant and relentless drive for more taxes.   In spite of the temporary (they hope) inconvenience of Republican control of the congress, the goals of Democrats remain the same:  Shift the entire income and then payroll tax burden to America's highest achievers, those with high incomes.  The Democratic nirvana is a society where the cost of government programs are borne by a minority unlikely to vote Democratic.  During every single election of the past 50 years Democrats have warned voters that if they dare to vote for a Republican they will lose their Social Security.  Medicare was added to that list in the 1970s.  Think how powerful the argument would be that if you vote for Republicans they are going to make you pay taxes.  

Let's face it.  Short of a tax revolt by American citizens, we are NEVER going to see any meaningful cuts in the size and the power of the Imperial Federal Government of the United States. It just flat isn't going to happen.  It takes only minutes after that swearing-in ceremony for a new member of the House of Representatives or the Senate to realize that this is a pretty cool gig.  The perks, the power, the prestige ... all very hard to give up.  Within minutes after that first swearing-in the new politician will have that great epiphany:  "Whatever else I do here in Washington, I've just got to keep this job."  From that moment on every move, every step, every vote, every phone call, every letter, every interview is conducted in such a way that reelection will be all but ensured.  

And just how do you ensure your reelection?  You make sure that you collect as much money from the taxpayers as you possibly can, and you spread that money around your home district or state.  It doesn't matter how innocuous the spending program.  It can be a half-million dollars to restore Lawrence Welk's boyhood home, eleven million to spruce up the King Center in Atlanta, hundreds of thousands of dollars in subsidies for farmers in Williamson County, or a new backstop for the softball field at your local elementary school ... the money must be spent!  

I don't care if you're 16 years old, or 66.  You will never in your lifetime see a federal budget where less money is spent in one year than in the preceding year.  The prime directive for government is to grow itself and increase its power.  Nothing is going to change.  The American people feed off this government.  It absolves them of the necessity for responsibility for their own lives.  I don't see that changing in my lifetime, or my daughter's. 

NAIL THE RICH BASTARDS

Did you catch that quote from White House budget director Josh Bolten?  On Monday he was talking to reporters about Bush's new budget.  Some reporter jotted down this gem from Bolton:   

"If you look at the president's tax cuts as a totality, the income tax, those at the upper end of the spectrum are now paying a larger share of the income tax than they were before.  An example, the top 5 percent in income in this country -- that's people making above about $140,000 -- without the president's tax cuts that top 5 percent would be paying about less than 52 percent of our total income tax revenue.  After the president's tax cut that group is paying more than 54 percent of our total tax revenue. So the notion that the president's tax cuts have somehow made the code less progressive is wrong. The president's tax cuts have made the tax code more progressive."

Do you feel good about that?  Of course you do!  There's nothing like starting out a fresh new day with the knowledge that the evil, filthy, hated rich are being punished for their achievements.

BUSH'S POLL NUMBERS UP

The Democratic nightmare continues. Following the successful elections in Iraq that even the media couldn't gloss over, a new poll puts President Bush's approval rating at 57%, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. Also included in that poll was the question of whether or not sending troops to Iraq was a mistake. Almost the same amount - 55% - said no, it was not.

Since the Democratic primaries one year ago, the left has made the war in Iraq their #1 issue. Yet during that time, it has gotten them absolutely nowhere. Not only was Kerry defeated, but the Democrats lost seats in both houses of Congress.

Sounds like it's time for the left to change their outgoing message. With Howard Dean's ascendancy to the chair of the Democratic party, it looks like that won't happen.

IRAN SAYS STRIKE WOULD FAIL

More interesting talk today from the Islamic terrorists that run Iran. Hasan Rowhani, that country's nuclear negotiator, said that U.S. Military strikes would not destroy its nuclear facilities. Oh really? But he followed that tough talk with another interesting statement: "We are not seeking tension with the United States. We are seeking to resolve our problems with America but it's the Americans who don't want problems be resolved."

Well, there is really nothing to resolve. Iran is a terrorist state, a supporter of such Islamic killers as Hezbollah. They can not be allowed to possess a working nuclear weapon. They have one choice: stop building nuclear weapons. There's nothing to discuss.

He continued: "Iran's nuclear technology is in the hands of its scientists and workshops throughout the country. All of them have the ability to produce centrifuges. Therefore, America will not be able to destroy our nuclear facilities and mines through a military strike."

Sounds like a challenge to me.  Maybe it's time for Hasan Ali Baba Doo Dah Rowhani to receive a display of American military might.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

There is essentially one candidate left in the race to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee.  That man is Howard Dean.  This is going to be some fun.

Got a little bit of down time today? Perhaps you'd like to know how the United States Government intends to spend $2.57 trillion dollars of your money. You can read the budget here.

The "nuclear option?"  What's that?  It's a way to get Bush's judicial nominees past Democratic filibusters. 'Bout damn time. 

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is calling reforming Social Security with private accounts "roulette." (As if relying on government wasn't chancy.)  George Will takes on that characterization.

There are five threats to America's way of life, according to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. You can find out what they are here.

Janeane Garofalo is at it again- this time bashing Iraqi voters and performing the Nazi salute on TV. The Media Research Center has all the details.

When people write Professor Mike Adams a letter, he often will answer them right in his column. Today Mike Adams responds to a viewer who was offended by his appearance on TV.  You'll enjoy this one as Adams deals with an idiot.

Up until the late 18th century in western civilization, nobody really bothered to consider whether or not slavery was right or wrong.  It was the evil culture of white men who first moved to end slavery.   Thomas Sowell talks about some of the facts surrounding the issue.

The Supreme Court has done more harm than good to the framers intentions when it comes to the Constitution of the United States. David Limbaugh has a review of a new book.

A magazine took an early poll of presidential contenders for 2008. Matt Towery has the results, some of which you may find very interesting. Sadly, The Hildabeast tops the list.

What was the biggest thing lacking from the Democrats' response to the president's state of the union address? Star Parker says it was ideas....the Democrats seem to have run out.

Here's a government program that should be cut: sugar subsidies. Doug Bandow says the sugar industry has been fleecing taxpayers for decades.

From Fark.com:  Take a look at these incredible hi-res photographs of snowflakes.  Can someone tell me why these things are so symmetrical?  Hey, they're only frozen water!  Ice cubes aren't symmetrical, nor are hailstones!

Proof that you can't win.  These Canadians are complaining that the warning sirens for a nuclear power plant will be too loud.  Yeah ... let's make them softer so that people can sleep.

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