Compassionate conservatism returns

[struggle4progress]

<snip> Pressed by reporters for a ballpark estimate, the president shrugged. Rebuilding after Katrina, he said, would "cost whatever it costs." He vowed not to raise taxes. Unspecified and improbable spending cuts will supposedly make up the difference.

Since Bush took office in 2001, government spending has risen almost by a third, from $1.86 trillion to $2.48 trillion, Newsweek reports. He has never vetoed a spending bill. In recently signing a $286.4 billion, pork-laden transportation bill -- $250 million to build a bridge from a town of 8,000 to an island of 50 in a powerful Alaska congressman's district, for example -- Bush praised himself for doing it the "fiscally responsible way." Instead of raising taxes, he'd borrowed the money.

Bush "conservatism," see, is grasshopper conservatism. Party today, let the ants pay the caterer another day. Meanwhile, two little-known millionaire-only tax cuts enacted in 2001 will take effect next year. By removing ceilings on personal exemptions and itemized deductions, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities calculates they reduce income taxes for the top two-tenths of 1 percent of Americans $20,000 each. The five-year budget cost is $35 billion.

With hundreds of thousands homeless and destitute, do the super-rich need it? <snip>

http://www.decaturdailydemocrat.com/articles/2005/09/23/news/opinion/editorial03.txt