Top Five Areas Repubs Would Cut Under "Pledge to America".

[kentuck]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/schools-cops-and-health-care-how-the-pledge-to-america-would-actually-cut-spending.php

<snip>
"With common-sense exceptions for seniors, veterans, and our troops, we will roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels, saving us at least $100 billion in the first year alone and putting us on a path to balance the budget and pay down the debt."

So reads the House Republicans' "Pledge to America" -- a supposedly deficit-reducing plan that calls for trillions of dollars' worth of specific tax cuts, but only $100 billion of non-specific spending cuts to offset that cost.

Still, $100 billion pays for a lot of things. Bloomberg took a close look at just what would take a hit under the Republican plan -- adding specificity where the Republicans offered none. Here are the top five issues that would suffer under the Pledge to America.

1. Education

President Obama has requested over $70 billion for the Department of Education next year. A cut along the lines of what the Republicans propose would necessitate a $5 billion cut to the Pell Grant program, which assists low-income students with college tuition costs.

.......more

[grilled onions]

1. A Disaster In The Wings

They can't see the forest for the trees. For every agency they shut down means more out of work.Cutting back in police services means a lot of unsafe streets in many communities. Many states already reeling from the housing horrors going on would only be made worse. More towns would have abandoned homes will more would be made homeless.
If every wish of theirs came true and they would somehow cut the deficit(by the way which you never see mentioned any of them sacrificing wage raises,perks etc) what kind of world would we have?
All they can see is in front of their shallow little brains,their re-elections,their country club mentality.

[Parker CA]

2. Great piece with some interesting info in the comments. Kick and Rec!!

[Arkana]

3. I'm pleased to see I was right with regards to the Contract on America v. 2.0.

I was afraid that people would largely ignore its content and just say "See? The GOP has a plan!". However, this is one of the few instances where the electronic media and the 24-hour news cycle come in quite handy. Within days of its release this piece of crap was thoroughly dissected, laughed at, and marginalized.