Strangechord

Bohemian Mama wrote a brilliant post today regarding Bush’s proposed tax cuts and the state of services and the economy:

Republicans WANT a big deficit. They WANT to be in debt. When the country is in debt, we have to “cut spending.” “Cutting spending” is the hallmark of the Republican credo, and it is code for “get rid of social programs for the most needy of our country.” Instead of keeping the tax revenue that we have, which is already much lower because of the ongoing (unadmitted) recession we’ve been in, they prefer to cut that tax revenue even further.

Read the rest - the post was quite educational. I’ve been hearing for years from many right-wing Republicans that the goal is to slash social services and and privatize/make religious as much as possible. However, at the risk of betraying my FDR-esque liberal leanings, I can’t think of a whole lot a central government is good for besides providing social services for the people. Ok ok, I know the government builds roads, enforces laws, protects citizens, etc…, but no secular social programs?? WTF?

Every day I hear about more cuts to services and education. Oregon is being hit really hard with cuts to the Oregon Health Plan, a shortening of the Portland school year, hunger, huge tuition hikes at public colleges and universities, and the list goes on. I am really outraged that the administration can be calling for tax cuts for the wealthy and more corporate loopholes when there are so many people and organizations struggling right now.

Just when I’m wondering if Americans are paying attention to how atrocious and absurd this is, I stumble across this NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Kennedy School of Govt. poll of Americans’ views on taxes (”What’s more, Americans don’t necessarily believe that tax cuts would stimulate the economy.”) and this Salon piece from today: Bush’s economy doesn’t play in Peoria. As Bohemian Mama writes, “It’s STILL the economy, stupid.”