Bush released his proposed FY 2009 budget yesterday. It cuts just about every domestic government agency and program. Defense would get a 7% increase.
Land management agencies get the ax again. The National Park Service is said to be one exception, although the story in the Missoulian as an update indicates even this is slight-of-hand. The oil and gas portion of the BLM’s budget will go up. Land agencies could endure heavy cuts. By Noelle Straub. Billings Gazette Washington Bureau.
His budget received heavy criticism in Congress. I found the Republican National Committee had good things to say about the budget on-line, but the National Republican Congressional Committee (the Republican caucus in the House) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee were silent.
The major newspapers I read were critical. There will be a big battle over this budget.
Update. National Parks budget falls short, critics say. By Michael Jamison. The Missoulian
Update. Congress Looks Askance at Bush’s Budget. By Jim Abrams. AP.
Comments
How long will it take a new president (if he/she is ecofriendly) to make any signifigant recovery from this administration’s policies? What do we do once the new admin begins?
Does anyone have a plan of how to effect change? I am sure that many groups have agendas. My question is what to do as individuals?
I know that there are many leaders among citizens who frequent this site. I have heard so many useful things on this site.
Maybe some of those folks who are more educated on the issues should come up with a plan on unification of individuals who are spread through out the country. One voice is vital, many voices would be astounding.
I think that the damage of this administration will have a ripple effect for years, decades even. Therefore, it will be vital to impact the next administration, and lay the ground work for the calm AFTER the storm.
We won’t even recognize our country when he and they get done! The things that made our country great and successful before Bush took office have been systematically undone with precision, like it was all planned. We need a major overhaul not just getting republicans out of office (because they’ve PROVEN you can’t trust them) but we also need to reform our entire political system. I don’t really trust the Democrats, either. Am I alone? Now, in order to be elected, people who run for office must tie up with big business. Once tied in with big business you must represent them. In my political science classes in college I saw the danger in allowing this to go on and it has reached out of control proportions. The American people need protections from Big Business. They don’t need to be giving them tax money and writing laws to protect monopolies!
First, given the way in which the American political scene is structured now and for the foreseeable future, we can have one of two choices, Democrats or Republicans, and you would need to be very naive to not know which of those two to choose. A good review of the history of the 2000 election year and the impact of Nader/LaDuke should clear up any questions regarding the wisdom of splitting the environmental constituency.
Second, this administration is a disaster on every front; however, there is very little chance that this budget proposal will have any real impact. It is already being received with laughter, even from the GOP, and chances are that, even if there is a formal or traditional FY09 budget, it will not be influenced by anything in this proposal. I actually see perhaps an equal chance that FY09 will see either a long sequence of CRs or some patchwork of omnibus bills.