Bernie Blasts Bush's Budget

[Armstead]

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/document.asp?issueNum=4780

2/9/2006, For Immediate Release:
Statement from Congressman Bernie Sanders on the Budget Submitted by President Bush


“The proposed budget released by President Bush this week is extremely unfair in that it cuts critical programs that benefit middle and lower-income Americans, only to turn around and give even more tax cuts to the wealthy. In the midst of a major health care crisis, President Bush’s budget slashes Medicare by $36 billion and Medicaid by more than $13 billion over the next five years and increases Medicare premiums for some seniors. At a time when the cost of college education is soaring, this draconian budget hits lower and middle-income families hard by freezing Pell Grants for the fifth year in a row and leaving our educational system underfunded by a staggering $55 billion since the enactment of the Administration’s No Child Left Behind program.

“Under this budget, the Administration also continues to shortchange our veterans. For the fourth year in a row, the budget raises health care costs for hundreds of thousands of veterans, including new co-payments on prescription drugs and enrollment fees, and increases TRICARE health care premiums for military retirees. These changes will cost our nations veterans hundreds of millions of dollars and drive more than 234,000 veterans out of the veterans’ health care system

“Despite these misguided and draconian cuts, this budget does nothing to rein in our nation’s record-breaking deficit. In fact, President Bush’s budget will create trillions of dollars in new deficits over the next 10 years—heaping mountains of debt onto our children and our grandchildren. We cannot continue to follow the disastrous and misguided priorities of an Administration that is all to willing too sacrifice the needs of the American people to benefit their wealthy campaign contributors. In the coming months I will do everything I can to prevent these draconian cuts and irresponsible tax breaks and work towards a budget that puts the needs of working Americans first.”

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. Great blog, excellent alliteration. n/t

MKJ

[Armstead]

4. I can never resist a chance to alliterate

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

9. LOL, and a vote of appreciation from a fellow alliterist :-) n/t

MKj

[Armstead]

13. all allitrists are akin about appreciation

[mdmc]

36. kick

[mdmc]

2. thanks Bernie! Will he be a Senator this year?

:kick:

[Armstead]

5. Most likely

He is already the only House member from VT, and he keeps getting elected statewide by wide margins.

[Selatius]

7. I hear the Republicans are gonna try hard to deny hin the senate seat

I don't know what they will pull out of their sleeve, though.

[cali]

8. Bernie's going to reduce

Rich (aptly named) Tarrent to rubble. He's 50 points ahead in the last poll. Tarrent, who recently sold his company IDX for over a billion dollars already has image problems. He drives a bently, and recently got caught claiming his Florida home as his primary dwelling. He's already running a lame negative ad. Bizarrely, today he hired Kate O'Connor, long time Dean aid, to run his campaign. This one's going to be fun.

[Selatius]

10. Why would Tarrent hire somebody from the Dean camp to use against Sanders?

I thought Dean urged Democrats to vote Sanders. It was either Sanders or some Republican.

[mdmc]

14. I'm pretty sure the Dem party endorsed Saunders

pretty sure, anyone know? :kick:

[Armstead]

15. They aren't running against him

I don't know if they formally endorsed him, but they've done it by default

[mdmc]

17. anyone know what the VT Dems did

why wouldn't they endorse him? Assuming he would allow it.

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. yes here are some stories

A deal with the Democrats: Bernie Sanders ignites passion, controversy

link: http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/012006/SandersDemocrat.shtml



By Shay Totten | Vermont Guardian

Posted January 27, 2006

After months of tacit approval, Vermont Democrats made it official: Bernie Sanders is one of them, at least for this election season.


"Howard Dean Endorses Bernie Sanders' Run for U.S. Senate
by Evan Lehmann, MediaNews Group Washington Bureau


link:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0510-05.htm


WASHINGTON -- Breaking party lines, former Gov. Howard Dean said Monday he supports Rep. Bernard Sanders' bid for the U.S. Senate, saying the Independent makes a "strong candidate."

"A victory for Bernie Sanders is a win for Democrats," Dean said in a telephone interview Monday."

[mdmc]

22. thanks!

peace and low stress!

[Douglas Carpenter]

23. low stress? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[mdmc]

24. perhaps this link will help

www.masamania.com <- I get a chuckle every time I visit!

[Douglas Carpenter]

25. thanks...........cool

[mdmc]

27. thats were I am if I'm not at DU

:kick:

[Deja Q]

3. Let's improve education! But cutting institutions needed money!!!

:eyes:

Insane.

Still, when work of ANY type is far cheaper in our communist country buddies, we may as well use them - until they do more than just laugh at us. :shrug:

[mdmc]

19. not a fan?

[mdmc]

26. whats up, hypnotoad?

Help me understand! Peace and low stress, mdmc

[mdmc]

29. please give me a link, toad...

Help me understand... This doesn't sound like Bernie. :kick:

[mdmc]

30. cause I think he helps the Democrats

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2455472&mesg_id=2455472

[mdmc]

31. talk to me

outsourcing...school aid... tell me!

[Selatius]

6. Bernie Sanders, spoken like a true democratic socialist

I have concerns with state socialism and state socialists in general because I have a healthy fear of centralized decision-making power, the kind you see with the federal government today. I know my history as far as totalitarians in the socialist movement go, but I'll tolerate state socialists who I believe are good and honest, and Sanders is one of those rare few left I am not afraid to trust.

I consider myself a socialist, but I always preferred more libertarian methods like education and direct popular organization of the people, but I'll support state socialists if there is common cause.

[mdmc]

32. a kick

for socialism!

[radio4progressives]

11. k&r Excellent post..

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Armstead]

12. Bernie does provide excellent posts

He also kicks ass in his video on his website.

His confrontations with Alan Greenspan are Comedy Classics.

[mdmc]

28. gonna check out the video now

:kick:

[mdmc]

37. peace

[Douglas Carpenter]

16. check out Bernie's website

Sanders for U.S. Senate link: http://bernie.org /




http://bernie.org /

"Bernie Sanders believes that in the richest nation in the history of the world, all Americans should enjoy a decent standard of living. He believes that it is unacceptable that millions of people are forced to work for sub-standard wages and lack health care, decent housing and educational opportunity. He regards it as a national disgrace that the United States has, by far, the highest rate of child poverty of any industrialized country and a childcare system that is abysmal. He regards it as unconscionable that the United States remains the only country in the industrialized world which does not have a national health care system guaranteeing health care for all, and that millions of seniors lack the prescription drugs they desperately need.

Most of Sanders’ energy has been devoted to issues that affect the needs of the people that government often ignores - working families, the middle class, the elderly, children and the poor. In a nation in which the wealthiest one percent own more wealth than the bottom ninety-five percent, and where the CEOs of major corporations earn 500 times what their employees make, Sanders believes that the middle class and working families of our country need all the help they can get. Sanders has also been strongly involved on environmental issues, and in protecting the rights of women, minorities and the gay community. He has also been one of the leaders in Congress in opposition to the war in Iraq.

When Sanders took office in 1991, he was concerned that there was no organized group in the House of Representatives to represent the economic interests of the average American. Along with four other members of the House he founded the House Progressive Caucus, which has now grown to 56 members. Sanders chaired the caucus for its first eight years. In the last three years, he has been ably followed in that position by Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Barbara Lee (D-CA). The Progressive Caucus, on a wide variety of matters, has helped lead the effort in Congress to protect the interests of the ordinary citizens of this country who cannot afford to contribute large sums of money to buy political influence. They have also played an active role against the war in Iraq.

During this session of Congress Bernie has been a leader on a number of fronts. Click here to read about the issues that he has focused on during his years in Congress" link: http://bernie.org/?page_id=35

Sanders for U.S. Senate link: http://bernie.org /

Contribute: https://secure.bernie.org/page/contribute

volunteer: http://bernie.org/volunteer.php
If you would prefer to call our Field Organizer call Ethan Ready at 802-355-1724 or email him at [e-mail] .

Audio/Video:

http://bernie.org/?cat=4

Issues:

http://bernie.org/?page_id=77

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
PENSIONS
USA PATRIOT ACT
CORPORATE CONTROL OF THE MEDIA
TRADE
IRAQ
ENVIRONMENT

Vermont Congressman Bernie Sanders for U . S. Senate

[mdmc]

18. this is some great info!

:kick:

[Zinfandel]

21. B. Sanders is the real deal-What else can I sincerely say-I love the dude

I wish I could vote for him, (I live in CA)...Got to make sure he isn't republican slimed...He is worthy of being our US Senator...Though I can't vote for him...but like Paul Wellstone, he will be mine and all the working people's Senator...That's why...

Bernie could truly use a few of our donations, because...Republicans will steal, lie, distort, smear, (and more), to make sure Sanders doesn't become our Senator...Just as they made sure Wellstone wouldn't win reelection!

[mdmc]

33. Do you think that Bernie will be the best Senator we have?

:kick:

[Armstead]

34. One of them

[mdmc]

35. l o v e Bernie!

http://www.canofun.com/cof/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=17297