The Big Bad Budget: Is Anyone Noticing
Last August, New Orleans suffered the wrath of one of the worst hurricanes in the history of our country. Hurricane Katrina blew into town without apology and quite literally huffed, puffed and blew houses down. Only more disturbing than that childhood story scenario coming true, was the façade of the Bush administration’s projected American dream of a place where peace and equality prevail crumbling to show the ugly face beneath. Immediately the following storm, CNN began airing shocking footage of hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents, mostly black and poor, trapped in squalid conditions outside the Superdome without food, water or medical attention for nearly a week.
It seems outrageous that the Bush administration and Congress would step forth only shortly after desperately trying to redeem their goodwill image to again legislate in a manner that can only be described as callous. Yet, the only unfathomable thing is that no one has taken much notice.
The Budget Reconciliation Bill, due to be voted on this month, will cut billions of dollars in Medicaid, food stamps, TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and student federal aid. In addition to the $34.7 billion in original cuts posted to the bill, a new push would raise that figure by an extra $15 billion, e