President George Bush’s proposed budget for 2002 is drawing sharp criticism from Democrats on Capitol Hill who argue that too much of the plan is tied into an ambitious tax cut at the expense of funding for education, health care, the environment and prescription drugs.
Calling it “the wrong recipe for America,” Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said the budget threatens to undo “progress and prosperity” from the Clinton days while rewarding the nation’s wealthy.
“This is a deja vu budget that returns us to the bad economy of the 1980s, with high unemployment and low growth,” said Kennedy in a statement released this week. “It unleashes a tax-cutting stampede that tramples on our nation’s most urgent priorities.”
According to Kennedy’s office, the plan calls for cuts in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, a health coverage program geared toward uninsured children and education initiatives such as bilingual education and education technology.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) accused Bush of backtracking on his commitment to education in his new budget, which the Democrats say calls for only modest increases.
“President Bush continues to proclaim that education is his top priority — the reality is that for every dollar increase in education, the Bush budget provides $40 in tax cuts,” Kerry said.
Democrats claim the budget fudges education increases by claiming credit for funding promised in Clinton’s budget for this year. The plan is said to include an 11.5 percent increase for education when, in reality, it only includes an increase of about 5 percent. In addition, the increase only takes effect for one year as “overall education funding essentially remains constant for the next five years after adjusting for inflation,” according to Kennedy.
In addition, Democrats say Bush’s proposed $1.6 trillion tax cut is really closer to $2.5 trillion when taking into account imposed costs, resulting costs, expenders and the interest cost that comes with failing to pay down the debt. The plan would take an enormous chunk of the projected surplus for the next 10 years, leaving little to spend for other programs.
Republicans dismiss such claims, accusing the Democrats of distorting the true figures.
“The Democrats are playing with numbers while President Bush is giving Americans the opportunity to get an education,” said a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.).
The GOP believes the plan would return decision-making power over education funding to the local level.
“Our education proposal is not one size fits all,” Lott’s spokesman said. “Each school district should be allowed to spend the money any way they see fit. If a school doesn’t need more teachers, they could use the money to buy computers. If a school’s technological needs are met, they could hire more teachers.”
As far as the tax cut goes, a majority of Americans have moved closer to the Republican position, said the spokesman.
“It’s been clear the Democrats do not want significant tax relief. But the mood of the country is one where people believe the time is right,” he said.
A good sign for the Republican Party is the Democrats’ moving off their original position of a modest tax cut to one with a figure closer to Bush’s plan. Initially, the Democrats proposed an $800 billion tax cut. They currently favor a $1.3 trillion plan, leaving room to compromise.
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