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Republican Paul Ryan's Budget: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Bipartisan complicity is transforming America into a banana republic.
by Stephen Lendman
What Democrats endorse isn't much better. Timing mostly differs to get past November elections.
For starters, Obama and Democrats agreed to the following cuts over the next decade:
- $4 trillion overall:
- $770 billion from education, environmental, transportation, and other infrastructure cuts, as well as lower wages and benefits for federal workers when they need more, not less;
- $480 billion from Medicare and Medicaid, besides another $1 trillion from Obamacare;
- $360 billion from mandated domestic programs, including food stamps, home heating assistance, income for the poor and disabled, federal pension insurance, and farm subsidies; and
- $400 billion from military-related spending from unneeded weapons, as well as healthcare and other benefits for active service members and veterans.
Priority Pentagon items remain untouched to assure annual budget increases, generous supplemental add-ons, and secret open-checkbook intelligence allocations for numerous lawless purposes.
Bipartisan complicity assures people needs are on the chopping block for reduction or elimination to satisfy the insatiable appetites of Wall Street, war profiteers, other corporate favorites, and America's super-rich. If reelected, Obama will rubber-stamp them.
Moreover, he's on board for more, including slashing corporate and super-rich tax rates. At the same time, he OK'd Medicare co-pays increases, raising retirement age entitlements eligibility, and reducing or eliminating other vital benefits America's poor need most.
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