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This week the Senate will focus on its annual chore of deciding how much to spend and how much to cut from government agencies and programs for next year. And while the President has urged fiscal restraint by calling for substantial cuts in Medicare & Medicaid, the Senate has effectively abandoned his requests (fearing such a move would prove to be an unpopular election year strategy). But as part of its budget bill, the GOP leadership has renewed an effort to open part of Alaska's wildlife refuge to oil drilling, a Bush priority.
The Senate must also address the onerous task of raising the nation's debt ceiling limit by about $780 billion, thereby allowing the country to borrow more money and avoid defaulting on its loans. The all but mandatory vote has to happen by Friday, before the Senate starts another week-long recess next week. It will be a difficult, but necessary evil for Republicans who have been roundly criticized by Democrats for the country's ballooning deficit.
The high cost of gasoline is back before the Senate on Tuesday when the Judiciary Committee brings in the CEOs of the five largest oil companies. At issue is whether the consolidation of the energy industry is raising prices at the pump.
In other hearings of interest, the Foreign Relations Committee addresses the challenges in the Middle East following Hamas' election victory; and the Government Affairs subcommittee tackles the GAO's annual list that identifies the federal programs that are ineffective and high-risk for waste, fraud, and abuse. Both are on Wednesday.
Read more from Ken Strickland
"Live" blogging the president's speech
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You have to ask yourself how far would the money that is being dumped into the Iraq war have gone for medicare and other programs in the US. Oddly we have not a problem coming up with billions for an unjustified war but for medicare and social security we would've never received a dime towards those programs even without the war, its just not part of the Repulican agenda. Keep in mind though that your elected officials never have to worry about health care or social security so its not a problem in their eyes. The way to send a message to Washington is through your vote. Sadly as much as people complain there is a good number that don't even bother to vote. When you figure that 50% of the US votes for the presidency,(which is a high figure or past elections), that means half of the country is making the desicion for the other half as who will lead the country. What is worse is once you get to the Congressional and Senate elections the numbers drop even more to the 30%-40% of people voting which means on face value that people don't realize that its those two groups that pass the legislation that you, as a citizen then abide by. I urge all the US voting public to vote in each and every election, from small town on up, it's not only a way for you to have a say in what happns in US politics, (abit a small one), but its your right.
Chris,CT (Sent Mar 14, 2006 10:59:06 PM)
They will cut Medicare & Medicaid while giving oil companies $Billions in subsidies through "royalty relief," etc., a story that has scarcely been reported. The Republican message to average Americans: fend for yourselves. But they have never met a corporation they don't like.
Steve Blumberg, Olive Branch, Mississippi (Sent Mar 13, 2006 11:01:49 PM)
Why is George Bush cutting programs in this country? I need my medicare to survive. Could someone tell me why?
Mildred Byrnes,Apache Junction,Az (Sent Mar 13, 2006 3:53:07 PM)
Bush needs to be replaced. He's not the President we want.We want our troops home. Too many have died already.
Mildred Byrnes (Sent Mar 13, 2006 3:43:52 PM)
Why is Bush cutting these programs, just to fund this war on terror that we will not win.Some Americans need these programs, especially senors. Let's get real here.
Ron Boyer, Apache Junction,Az. (Sent Mar 13, 2006 3:41:11 PM)
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