Some things never change

September 7, 2005

One of the first announcements about this week’s legislative agenda came late Monday when Bill Frist announced that a vote on a permanent repeal of the estate tax would be delayed indefinitely. And one of the second announcements was that Republicans on the Hill still wanted other tax cuts.

House and Senate lawmakers said they will proceed with a package of $70 billion in tax cuts and $35 billion in entitlement spending cuts, including as much as $10 billion out of a Medicaid program they simultaneously were suggesting expanding.

The same Post story also included this gem about flood control in Louisiana.

Before Katrina struck, the House and Senate were at loggerheads over an energy and water spending plan for the fiscal year that begins in October, with the Senate hoping to spend $700 million more than the House on water projects, including $27 million more on flood control in southeastern Louisiana and $20 million more on Louisiana coastal protection. House Appropriations Committee spokesman John Scofield said the committee has received no instructions to budge: “We are committed to living within our budget.”

Wait, House Republicans are going to hold back on funding for flood control in southeastern Louisiana and the state’s coastal protection now?

It seems, alas, like business as usual on the Hill.

Last week, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) suggested that Congress may well need to pass an economic stimulus package, complete with tax cuts, in order to ensure that Katrina’s effects on gas prices and other commodities do not drag down the entire U.S. economy. That sentiment was echoed by Frist.

Trent Lott, who lost his home to Hurricane Katrina, said yesterday, “Nothing will be the same again.” I’m afraid the rest of Congress may not agree.

Look, it’s a day that ends in y and the GOP wants to cut taxes. Who knew.

  • I don’t think I’d want to be Rodney Alexander right now–he’s the only Louisianan on Appropriations.

    He switched parties because the Repubs promised him a seat on that committee to replace David Vitter. But if he doesn’t deliver this time … tick, tick, tick …

  • > House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)

    ‘Scuse me? An “R” is the “Minority Whip”? I dunno much about gummit, but that looks fishy to me… 😉

  • The slash and spend Republicans are at it again.

    Remember those scenes of anarchy in New Orleans last week? Get used to them. That is where this government has us all headed. And it ain’t gonna be pretty.

  • God, what an opportunity.

    With people already nervous about disasters and the slow response of the feds, why not a few LTEs pointing out that the GOP STILL hasn’t learned its lesson about underfunding vital projects that would protect cities from natural disaster.

    Here’s the soundbite:

    “GOP to America: We don’t care if your city gets wiped out.”

  • More tax cut’s??? Don’t these people know we are running deficit’s? Huge deficits when you don’t count the stolen Social Security money. Then there is the national debt that is costing us close to 1 billion dollars a day in interest.
    FIRE ALL THE FUCKING IDIOTS

  • Okay, just when I thought I couldn’t get any angrier or more appalled or disgusted…

    I’m at a point now where I feel like the ONLY remedy, the only action that might relieve the constant headache, heartache, and stomach ache of the past 5+ years is a old-fashioned, honest-to-god, Frankenstein mob march on the WH. I’m talking torches, pitch forks, the works. I can’t think of any other way to reclaim our once-great nation from the clutches of these evil, evil men. I’m a pacifist, and proud of it, but I can come up with no other plan that would guarantee the proper outcome (not to mention provide at least some small measure of satisfaction that might help me fall asleep at night.)

    Not to get too personal, but many years ago, during a particularly “dark night of the soul” I believe I came face to face with pure, unadulterated evil. It wasn’t quite what I’d have expected. It wasn’t horror-movie grotesque, didn’t have horns or a tail or cloven hooves, none of the conventional trappings. What it was was EMPTY. Not peaceful empty, but malevolently empty. Not stupid, not intelligent, but CUNNING. The only other feeling I could recognize was HUNGER. Primitive, indiscriminate, insatiable. A voracious, empty, waiting, sucking vacuum. It scared the shit out me. I’d hoped never to come face to face with it ever again.

    BUT THEY’RE HERE…

    I don’t know how else to make sense of the daily stream of horror coming from the capital. They have no shame, no regrets, they barely bother to try to pretend they’re human. Every day is a blank page for them to create new, better carnage, because yesterday’s carnage doesn’t exist for them – good, bad or indifferent. They rise each day with the same undimmed appetite for destruction that greeted the day before. There will never be a moment of self awareness or doubt. Retrospection is kryptonite to these beings.

    If this is our reality, what choices do we have? What is the right course of action in this situation? Torches and pitch forks seem inadequate, but what’s the alternative? I am open to suggestions (and psychiatric recommendations).

    Shannon : ~ (

  • Shannon,
    Sounds like you need a Catbert or Pointy-Haired Boss doll to use for target practice! They seem to embody what you’re talking about.

    🙂

  • Thanks, Mr. Flibble. At the very least, it’s an affordable option, and it keeps the neighborhood kids safe – for the time being. (Just kidding – I’m way more prone to take it out on myself than the innocents, who have more than enough grief in their futures, I’m afraid.)

    I’ll let you know if it helps. In the meantime, maybe I’ll see what kind of day McClellan had. That always cheers me up!

    Thanks for caring!

    : ~ )

    (smiling w/runny nose; beats crying with runny nose!)

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