Margaret Krome writes: GOP takes scorched-earth attitude on domestic needs



"It's becoming clear that a critical part of Republican strategy is to bankrupt the country with exorbitant defense spending and tax cuts and then insist on across-the-board cuts in domestic spending in a pretense of fiscal responsibility. In reality, it is cynical, ideologically extreme and deeply irresponsible." Journalist Margaret Krome served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon.

Margaret Krome writes: GOP takes scorched-earth attitude on domestic needs

Margaret Krome: GOP takes scorched-earth attitude on domestic needs
By Margaret Krome

Do we want our government to protect sick and elderly people or don't we? Do we want poor children fed, alternative energy supported, parks protected, or not? Is a war that has nothing to do with national security, except that it may endanger it, a sound justification for failing to fund veterans of previous wars?

It has become so predictable that the major media must have decided it's no longer newsworthy. In late June, Republicans on the U.S. Senate's Budget Committee passed another irresponsible bill. This one not only would continue the Republicans' steady deconstruction of the federal government of the past five years; it also proposes radical and dangerous changes in the way budgets get developed.

Budget Chairman Judd Gregg's bill has several dangerous flaws. First, it would result in sweeping cuts to domestic spending over many years. Instead of a program-by-program assessment of needs, it proposes dramatic across-the-board cuts in all domestic programs, except for Social Security. This bill proposes to meet the entire Republican-created deficit by cutting domestic spending on programs for veterans, the poor and unemployed, and Medicare. Needless to day, it would dramatically increase the number of uninsured and underinsured Americans.

The bill would also create a draconian standard for Medicare's and Medicaid's budget process that the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities predicts would result in dissolving Medicaid as we know it within a few years and instead inadequately meet health care needs with state block grants. It would dramatically increase premiums, deductibles and co-payments that Medicare beneficiaries pay or create major cuts in what Medicare would cover.

Despite setting in place a budget system that would slash a wide spectrum of domestic spending, the Gregg bill exempts tax cuts from such fiscal accountability.

In addition, the bill would set in place a dangerously undemocratic budget process. It would create a commission to propose eliminating programs, and its decisions could be achieved by a simple majority. Congress could then address the commission's proposals through a fast-track process that would preclude amendments and would require only a simple, partisan majority to pass them.

This travesty of democratic process would be bad enough, but the Gregg bill goes further and sets in place a line-item veto that would give the president power to eliminate funding for individual programs. In fact, the president would have power to override congressional decisions, even if Congress had specifically voted to disapprove his veto.

Does anyone else think this president and this Congress have forgotten the genuine democratic premises that our nation just finished celebrating Tuesday? Do others recognize an unconscionable power grab when they see it?

Current congressional leaders and President Bush accuse Democrats of excess spending, but their alleged budget austerity is obviously phony, as they continue to promote lopsided tax cuts. The Congressional Budget Office projects that if current tax cuts and defense spending stay in place, the nation will face a $252 billion deficit by 2012.

It's becoming clear that a critical part of Republican strategy is to bankrupt the country with exorbitant defense spending and tax cuts and then insist on across-the-board cuts in domestic spending in a pretense of fiscal responsibility. In reality, it is cynical, ideologically extreme and deeply irresponsible.

I can't quite figure out why Senate Republicans are providing such ready evidence of their misguided priorities for the country right before a contested November election. Do they think people won't notice? Do they think people don't care? Do they think this is their last, best chance to force an agenda, and they should do it while they have majorities in both houses?

If the Gregg bill comes to the Senate floor early this month, as some expect it will, it is critical that the full Senate energetically opposes this dangerous bill.

Margaret Krome of Madison writes a semimonthly column for The Capital Times. E-mail: mkrome@inxpress.net
Published: July 5, 2006

When this story was posted in July 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Jody Olsen is acting Peace Corps Director The Senate confirmed Gaddi Vasquez to head the FAO on June 30. Jody Olsen will be acting Director until the President makes a permanent appointment. Olsen has been Deputy Director of the Peace Corps since 2002. She has previously served as Chief of Staff for two directors, as regional director for North Africa, Near East, and Asia and the Pacific, and as country director in Togo. She served in Tunisia as a PCV.

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The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.

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Changing the Face of Hunger In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

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PC will not return to East Timor in 2006 Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.

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Chris Dodd considers run for the White House Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.

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The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan." Read an excerpt from his novel, an interview with the author and a schedule of his book readings in Maryland and DC this week.

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Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee Director Vasquez testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination as the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. He has been the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver. PCOL Comment: Read our thanks to Director Vasquez for his service to the Peace Corps.

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First Amendment Watch Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell

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Interview with a Hit Man RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

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PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.

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Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.

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PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

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History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

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RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

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Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

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Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

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