Bye Bye Medicare

[brettdale]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-02-06T151525Z_01_WBT004719_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BUSH-BUDGET-RELEASE.xml

Bush on Monday proposed a $2.77 trillion (1.6 trillion pounds) fiscal 2007 budget that cuts domestic programmes from community policing to Medicare while bolstering security spending as he seeks to tame a soaring deficit.

Facing election-year pressure from conservative Republicans to get tougher on spending, Bush asked the U.S. Congress to virtually freeze discretionary programs outside national security.

Bush proposed a record $439.3 billion defence budget for 2007 aimed at fighting unconventional terrorism and any major international conflict. But this total does not include an extra $50 billion the administration will seek in added funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in fiscal 2007.

Bush proposed to squeeze $65 billion in savings over five years from mandatory programmes, including Medicare, the nation's health insurance programme for the elderly and disabled, farm supports and pension and other labour-related programmes.