http://news.yahoo.com/gop-plan-boost-defense-spending-worries-party-070824592--finance.html
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget plan for next year that effectively breaks tight budget limits on military spending while promising a familiar roster of big cuts to social programs such as food stamps and Medicaid.
The plan by Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., pads Pentagon and State Department accounts for overseas operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere by $36 billion above President Barack Obama's $58 billion request for such spending, which is not bound by the return of automatic cuts next year.
To meet their promise to balance the budget within a decade, Republicans propose cutting $5.5 trillion from a federal budget that's on track to total $50 trillion over that period. They also swallow up almost $1 trillion in higher tax revenues over a decade by assuming the expiration of popular tax breaks like the research and development tax break that are known collectively in Washington-speak as tax "extenders."
In the immediate term, the measure would produce higher deficits as lawmakers block a looming cut in Medicare fees to doctors and increase Pentagon spending.
In a statement, Price said the budget is the right solution as "our nation faces tremendous fiscal and economic challenges and, if nothing is done, a future of less opportunity and low expectations."
Democrats sharply attacked the proposal.
"It will mean the end of the current Medicare guarantee, and millions of seniors in nursing homes will be especially hurt by the irresponsible cuts to Medicaid," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee. He said it also includes "windfall tax cuts to the top 1 percent."
The sleight of hand on defense spending has already raised the ire of conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation and isn't likely to win approval by the Senate. But it could clear the way with pro-Pentagon forces in the House GOP, which had made it clear they could not support a budget that promised less for the Pentagon than Obama's request.
The measure is less detailed than in previous years about its cuts. For instance, more than $1 trillion in cuts over 10 years would come from so-called mandatory programs other than Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, but doesn't specify where, for the most part. Such programs include federal pensions, food stamps, farm subsidies, and tax credits for the working poor.
right wing budgets always seem to center on cutting things that America's poor and sick and elderly need to live and always shows preference to military industrial complex those invested in instruments of war kinda hard to say you want to boost the elements of war while playing with funding of homeland security it's not about security it's about scaring us into excepting their plans to beef up their anticipated war agenda with Iran that's all they talk about killing deal and attacking mid east regimes. ever notice when announcing their plans to gut Americans one or more looks at floor is it shame for what they are planning to do? nah their republicans probably thought he saw a dime on the floor.
