Damned Budget!

Here's the AP's quick synopsis. Until I get further data, this'll have to suffice. *sigh*

To the article:

[snip]...The broader budget bill would slice almost $50 billion from the deficit by the end of the decade by curbing rapidly growing benefit programs such as Medicaid, food stamps and student loan subsidies. Republicans said reining in such programs whose costs spiral upward each year automatically s the first step to restoring fiscal discipline.

"This unchecked spending is growing faster than our economy, faster than inflation, and far beyond our means to sustain it," said Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa...[/snip]

Oh I get it. Screw the poor to fund The War. How compassionately conservative.

[snip]...To win House approval, Hastert ordered modest concessions on plans to limit eligibility for food stamps and require the poorest Medicaid patients to pay more for their care. He ordered killed a provision to deny free school lunches to about 40,000 children whose parents would lose their food stamps.

Those changes and other promises won the votes of lawmakers who had earlier registered opposition to the bill, including James Walsh, R-N.Y., Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., and Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y.

The biggest concession came Thursday evening when Walsh won language permitting food stamp recipients making the transition to work to continue to be able to receive non-cash benefits for child care, transportation and housing without losing their nutrition benefits...[/snip]

Bless Hastert's heart. Ya know, the GOP's all about family values.

It's good to see some spine from the moderate Rebubs. Kudos to Walsh, although his 'victory' seems like a pyrrhic one.

There is a lot more regarding the House Bill in the AP article, but I have conflicting reports about a number of things mentioned. Until I can get it sorted out, I prefer to let this entry stand as a beginning point.

I don't want to give out information, and then have it turn out to be ambiguous - or worse. *gulp*