Don't let news stories that describe last night's vote on HR 4241 as one that "squeezes programs for the poor" or even as a "major budget cut bill" mislead you. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (or what was left of it) was a pitifully small reduction in the rate of growth of a few programs.
Democrats who try to make hay out of Republicans pushing homeless children on train tracks will only succeed to the extent that the media so shamelessly plays along with their gambit. Unfortunately, conservative media serves the public poorly as well by fostering the illusion that $50 Billion in actual cuts were created last night.
Budget "cuts" proposed for future years hold no weight whatsoever, so the $50 billion is, in reality, little more than a quiet suggestion. But in the political world, it is the line in the sand. All House Democrats plus Socialist Bernie Sanders voted against the bill, rejecting even a whiff of slowing down entitlement growth. So while taxpayers gained nothing from last night's vote, citizens gained a voter's guide for 2006 elections containing a list of the entire Democrat/Socialist caucus who stand in opposition to Republican spendthrifts in Congress only in the sense that they are worse.
