Congressional Republicans struggle with Bush agenda, debt worries [View All]

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/10879089.htm

Posted on Sat, Feb. 12, 2005

Congressional Republicans struggle with Bush agenda, debt worries

BY JAMES KUHNHENN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON -

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The numbers speak for themselves: 10-year cost projections are $2.2 trillion to overhaul Social Security, $724 billion for the Medicare drug benefit, $1.1 trillion to make tax cuts permanent, untold billions to secure Iraq and Afghanistan beyond this year.

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Asked to address her concerns with the president's budget, Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe cracked: "How long do you have?"

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"Here's the danger for the party: The $43 trillion unfunded liability is going to show up here soon," Graham said. "The party who'll suffer the most ... would be us," because Republicans are supposed to be the party of fiscal responsibility, he said.

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"Why not take the deficit argument off the table and do something we haven't done around here much: Pay for something," he asked.

complete story: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/10879089.htm