Did Democrats Trade Important Economic Programs to Preserve Liberal Crown Jewels

Difficult circumstances call for virtuous resolve

We will not know the full details of the brokered agreement between the negotiating teams of Congressional Republican John Boehner, Democrat Harry Reid and President Obama's Administration until Monday. However, it would appear that the $38.5 billion in agreed upon budget cuts marks a significant political trade-off. I'm concerned that the Democrats gave ground on important national programs for the sake of liberal crown jewels.

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Did Democrats Trade Important Economic Programs to Preserve Liberal Crown Jewels

The deal should be digestible for most Republicans despite Tea Party pipe dreams for a $60 billion reduction, as it marks the largest annual spending cut in the nation's history. The President said, "Some of the cuts we agreed to will be painful." I really don't like to hear that, knowing just how vulnerable our economy still is. He continued, "Programs people rely on will be cut back. Needed infrastructure projects will be delayed." It sucks that the Republican Party, which hasn't been frugal in decades, is suddenly interested in cutting off job creating funding and blaming the other party for wasting tax payer dough. Remember when Iraq was costing us $12 billion a month for a family vendetta?

President Obama said that "Beginning to live within our means is the only way to protect those investments that will help America compete for new jobs." Republican Congressman Ryan, who I predict will be the GOP nominee for president (and probably your next president), agreed, saying "This is good news for job creators in America." Really? Good news for jobs? I disagree, as this will pull the rug out from under programs that directly create jobs. That's why we spent money to build out our infrastructure in order to escape the Great Depression. Tell me how pulling funding meant to stimulate growth at a time when it is called for will not cost the economic recovery some steam. It's not like we're cutting taxes; we're cutting spending. Though, that's not generally a bad thing; It seems we've just chosen real poorly as to which spending to cut.

The President said we are making "investments in our kids' education and student loans; in clean energy and life saving medical research." He continued, "We protected the investments we need to win the future. At the same time, we also made sure that at the end of the day, this was a debate about spending cuts, not social issues like women's health and the protection of our air and water." He said these are important issues that deserve discussion, just not during a debate about the budget. I disagree, and I retract something I said in an article about the budget a couple days ago. We need to cut the tangential programs, and those include Planned Parenthood and its near $400 million gift. Let rich health care and consumer companies like Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) educate people on birth control and give out condoms, and let people kill their own kids with their own money at market price. In reality, the cost is priceless anyway; it probably costs most their souls in fact.

I suppose Wall Street will throw a party on Monday, because it's possible that funding that was intended for its policing will be pulled back for the sake of preserving things like abortions. And I heard a rumor that the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) may have received a haircut, or worse. This program supplies infant formula and other nutritious foods to low-income families. Did the Democrats sacrifice WIC for the sake of abortion, or for that matter, clean air? If so, I have a real problem with it, and will be calling for the voting down of this legislation. Look for it to reach the public domain Monday morning; we'll know the details then.

Where are the priorities of this nation? I know they're not with a growing number of its citizens living near or under the poverty line. One line spoken by our nation's leader last evening sums up the mistaken route taken rather clearly. He said, "I would not have made these cuts in better circumstances." I think a wise man once said, or is saying now, difficult circumstances call for virtuous resolve.

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