That was fast.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » January 30, 2004, 2:51 pm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dy ... ge=printer

The White House has concluded that adding prescription drug benefits to Medicare will cost one-third more than the $400 billion advertised by Congress and the administration when President Bush signed the bill into law less than two months ago, federal sources said yesterday.

The budget Bush is to propose on Monday will say that the new Medicare law, which sets in motion the largest expansion of the program in its history, will require $534 billion in the next decade, $134 billion more than the president and lawmakers said, according to congressional and administration sources.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » January 30, 2004, 8:02 pm

Big shocker. Noone could possibly think that getting any kind of drug benefit over and above their very low ceiling (and really empowering the drug companies to boot) wouldn't cost more than the proposed amount, could they? It couldn't possibly hurt the medicare recipients in the long term with such an agreement in place.

Oh wait

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » January 30, 2004, 8:30 pm

I bet the payments on 7 trillion in debt, US national debt broke the 7 trillion mark this month, could buy a lot of drugs.

With the combined national debt, budget deficits, tax cuts and more spending coming down the pipe I don't understand how fiscal conservatives aren't freaking out.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » January 30, 2004, 8:39 pm

Forthe wrote:I bet the payments on 7 trillion in debt, US national debt broke the 7 trillion mark this month, could buy a lot of drugs.

With the combined national debt, budget deficits, tax cuts and more spending coming down the pipe I don't understand how fiscal conservatives aren't freaking out.

They are all drunk and cowering under tables waiting for the inevitable hammer to fall...

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » January 30, 2004, 10:50 pm

Man I wish there was another republican to vote for that could challenge Bush.

That guy is proposing more governement spending than Clinton.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » January 31, 2004, 12:16 am

Forthe wrote:I bet the payments on 7 trillion in debt, US national debt broke the 7 trillion mark this month, could buy a lot of drugs.

With the combined national debt, budget deficits, tax cuts and more spending coming down the pipe I don't understand how fiscal conservatives aren't freaking out.

Well yeah. Because we really need to go to the moon before the Russians get there!

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » January 31, 2004, 3:48 am

well if we cut out our lovely iraq spending.... were gonna dump a unlimited amount of money on that damn shit hole ... and get nothing out of it

Truant · Post by **Truant** » February 1, 2004, 10:19 pm

Adex_Xeda wrote:Man I wish there was another republican to vote for that could challenge Bush.

The Republicans won't allow that.

Arundel Pajo · Post by **Arundel Pajo** » February 3, 2004, 2:09 am

Damn those tax-and-spend 'publicans...

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » February 3, 2004, 12:22 pm

Government for sale to the highest bidder.

Post by **Sylvus** » February 3, 2004, 12:40 pm

Has a party ever offered the nomination to a candidate other than their incumbent president?

masteen · Post by **masteen** » February 3, 2004, 1:59 pm

Did Nixon resign in his first or second term?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » February 3, 2004, 2:26 pm

Adex_Xeda wrote:Man I wish there was another republican to vote for that could challenge Bush.

That guy is proposing more governement spending than Clinton.

Clinton spent less than the first Bush, and a LOT less than Reagen. Why are you such a partisan twat?

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » February 3, 2004, 2:29 pm

masteen wrote:Did Nixon resign in his first or second term?

Second, he won in 68, then in 72 on his "secret plan to end the war" platform, it was so secret he never found out how

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » February 3, 2004, 2:35 pm

More on spending.

http://www.reason.com/hod/rr020304.shtml

Republicans stuff record pork down federal piehole

Ralph R. Reiland

"The pledge not to waste our tax dollars rings hollow," says Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, "given that in a matter of days [President Bush] will sign into law a budget-buster that provides money for Alaska skating rinks, Michigan swimming pools and Iowa indoor rain forests."

Moore is referring to the president's pronouncement in his State of the Union address that "we must spend tax dollars wisely" and the complete lack of opposition from the White House to the mile-high pile of pork in the recently passed fiscal 2004 Omnibus spending bill.

In addition to the tropical forest, the new Michigan pools and the Alaska skating rinks, the Omnibus bill gouges taxpayers to the tune of $725,000 for the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, $2 million for the Appalachian Fruit Laboratory, $1 million for the Alaska SeaLife Center, $300,000 for the National Wild Turkey Federation, $500,000 for the Montana Sheep Institute, and $2 million for a golf awareness program in St. Augustine.

...

The numbers tell the story. The average annual real increases in domestic discretionary spending were 2.0 percent under Jimmy Carter, minus 1.3 percent in the Reagan years, 4.0 percent with George H.W. Bush, 2.5 percent in the Clinton years, and 8.2 percent with George W. Bush.

The whole article is worth a read (its fairly short).

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » February 3, 2004, 3:01 pm

you can't get more republican than federal money spent on promoting golf.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » February 3, 2004, 3:21 pm

i'm pretty sure that "golf awareness program" in St. Augustine has more to do with making the public aware of the World of Golf museum and golf courses. They thought they'd build this big 'attraction' that featured some nice golf courses, some museum, and i think the 'golf hall of fame' or somesuch. at any rate, it has not been a financial success to this point over the last 10 years.

good to see the federal government is going to help advertise for this venture...

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 3, 2004, 4:26 pm

$2 million for the Appalachian Fruit Laboratory

"Don't he got a purty mouth..."

Post by **Sylvus** » February 3, 2004, 4:26 pm

We definitely need more swimming pools in Michigan. Why, there's four whole months of the year that they are useful!

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » February 4, 2004, 5:37 pm

Adex_Xeda wrote:Man I wish there was another republican to vote for that could challenge Bush.

That guy is proposing more governement spending than Clinton.

have you considered just NOT voting republican this year?