Where's the Budget Outrage? By E. J. Dionne Jr

Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) is backing away from supporting the "cut-the-poor, help-the-big-interests federal budget" that he voted for last year!!!! Doesn’t like the revised budget bill’s theme of “Protect the well-connected, bash the poor” as evidenced by tossing out provisions that would have sought savings from drug companies and preferred-provider organizations (the famous $22 billion that Hillary was upset about), and replacing them with new burdens on lower-income Americans who rely on Medicaid.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001161.html

Where's the Budget Outrage?

By E. J. Dionne Jr.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006; Page A17

<snip> President Bush hopes for a new start with his State of the Union address. The words from last year he wants to wipe out of the political lexicon include "Brownie," "Katrina," "heck of a job" and "Social Security privatization."

But there is an uncomfortable bit of business left over from the Republican disaster year of 2005 that will test the seriousness of the party's supposed commitment to change. The cut-the-poor, help-the-big-interests federal budget passed last year needs final ratification in the House. The vote could take place as soon as tomorrow.<snip>

At least one Republican, Rep. Rob Simmons of Connecticut, has had a change of heart, thanks to laudable grass-roots pressure -- which, to his credit, Simmons acknowledged.

"I voted for it in December," Simmons said of the budget in a statement released last week. But after consulting with constituency groups, Simmons decided that the bill "remains unsatisfactory" and that "the budget, as it stands, falls short." Moderate Republicans who had no business voting for this bill in the first place should be challenged to join Simmons.<snip>

Toughening welfare regulations to include work requirements on the 105,000 .two-parent welfare families that experts say is "almost impossible to meet."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-marriage31jan31,0,3865778.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

From the Los Angeles Times
THE NATION
Bill Tightens Rules for 2-Parent Welfare Families
By Joel Havemann
Times Staff Writer

January 31, 2006

WASHINGTON — The wide-ranging spending-cut bill scheduled for a final House vote on Wednesday includes provisions toughening welfare regulations, including work requirements on two-parent welfare families that experts say is almost impossible to meet.

The Republican-backed bill would hold adults in two-parent families to a higher work standard than those in single-parent families. States that failed to meet the standard would lose some of their federal welfare money unless they chose to exclude two-parent families from assistance.

California, home to the largest number of two-parent families on welfare, would be hardest hit, and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has written to the California congressional delegation in protest.

Sharon Parrott, a welfare expert with the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, said it was "the height of hypocrisy" for congressional Republicans, with the acquiescence of President Bush, to promote policies that would give states incentives to discriminate against two-parent families. "This isn't a pro-family policy," she said.<snip>