With social programs on chopping block
Bush feeds billions to Pentagon hogs
By Greg Butterfield
The Bush administration's plan to increase spending on
military adventures and repressive measures at home will mean
more hunger, homelessness and suffering for workers and poor
people here.
Under Bush's plan, the Pentagon stands to see the biggest
increase in its budget in 20 years--up 14 percent in fiscal
year 2003, to $379 billion.
On May 10 the House of Representatives approved an even
bigger military budget--$383 billion--pending Senate
approval.
Annual U.S. military spending is already more than that of
the next closest 15 countries combined.
But even that's not the whole story. The budget for
"homeland security" will double, to $38 billion next year. And
then there are the FBI, the CIA, secret intelligence slush
funds and interest payments to the banks for the cost of past
wars.
It all amounts to a giant giveaway to military contractors
like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Raytheon. A third of the
proposed 2003 Pentagon budget--$123 billion--is slated for
research, development and procurement of new weapons.
Neither Democrats nor Republicans voiced any opposition to
this outrageous corporate welfare for the military-industrial
complex. In fact, they are practically tripping over one
another to pledge their fealty to the generals.
Meanwhile, mass layoffs continue. Unemployment was at its
highest level in nine years in April. Yet Bush's budget plan
calls for axing 20 job-training programs.
Homelessness has grown 13 percent in the past year. In
cities like Boston, homeless shelters are
overflowing--squeezing in people at a rate 60 percent above
their maximum bed space, according to the May 1 Boston
Globe.
But Bush wants to cut more than $400 million from public
housing.
Bush also wants to increase, from 50 percent to 70 percent,
the portion of single parents receiving welfare who must work
for their benefits. He wants to take away education and
job-training options.
But he doesn't want to provide additional money for
childcare or transportation costs. The welfare budget is
frozen.
On May 16, House Republicans approved a $2-billion package
for increased child-care spending. The money is not enough to
cover the child-care needs of welfare recipients just in
California, much less all 50 states. (Los Angeles Times, May
17)
After-school programs won't be able to pick up any slack,
either, since Bush wants their funding frozen. (San Francisco
Chronicle, Feb. 5) Meanwhile, of course, the rich are wallowing
in their tax cuts.
Hit by falling tax revenues and federal budget cuts, cities
and states across the country have taken the lead of the
federal government. Job programs, job training, public housing,
food, education--all the things millions of people desperately
need--are on the chopping block.
With all the money being lavished on the Pentagon, you'd
think the government must be rolling in dough. But it's not. In
late April the Congressional Budget Office nearly doubled its
estimate of this year's budget deficit from $46 billion to $80
billion. Some experts think it could reach $100 billion.
(Washington Post, April 26)
The new deficit estimate is nearly equal to the $77-billion,
pro-business "economic stimulus" package proposed by Bush--more
slop for the corporate hogs.
Reprinted from the June 6, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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