George Bush gave one of the best speech's of his career last night. He and his speech writers deserve kudos. His address contained some very important statements to include:
We have a duty to confront poverty with bold action. We must rise above the legacy of inequality. We will do what it takes. We cannot allow people to continue to live in poverty.
To hear this from President Bush was a unique experience. He even included some specificity such as tax incentives and credits for businesses, training programs and a homestead plan to provide land to rebuild homes. There are however some glaring omissions in what the president outlined. There was no suggestion of how to pay the cost to rebuild individual homes other than providing some land or low interest loans. Many people already owned the land and even if they do not own a building lot, the greater cost is to build the home itself. Nowhere in President Bush's proposal did he address the cost to actually build the homes. Low interest loans for many who have lost their homes, is not an answer. They simply do not have the money to repay even a NO interest loan. Even middle income residents may have a mortgage for the house that has been swept away by Katrina. Therefore money to rebuild up to 500,000 homes is still an issue. The cost to prevent another flood in the New Orleans area was also not addressed. The states do not have the money given the impact the storm will have on their tax revenue.
The statements Mr. Bush made, seem to make it clear that he now understands the extent of the poverty that exists in our country which was uncovered by Katrina. That same poverty exists in many more places other than in the area destroyed by this hurricane. The issue of health care was discussed this morning on CNN and Fox news. Health care, especially for the poor and lower middle income people, will skyrocket. How can we pay for that health care for the poor given the $40 billion of cuts for Medicaid Bush his proposed? All the Governors have told Bush they can not make up these cuts and now additional Medicaid funding will be needed to deal with Katrina. In addition, if Mr. Bush is going to keep his pledge of, we can not allow people to continue to live in poverty or we have a duty to confront poverty with bold action and must rise above the legacy of inequity will mean additional federal help in the other 47 states not impacted by Katrina.
How does the new Mr. Bush square with his cuts in home heating assistance for the poor? Last year he drastically cut the federal funds available for this program and this year we are facing unprecedented increases in the cost of home heating oil and gas. Where is the money to come from to help feed the millions of Americans who go to bed hungry every night? Beginning January 1, 2006 a NEW entitlement, prescription drug benefit under Medicare, will require an additional $50 billion dollars per year to be spent from Medicare. Not one CENT has been identified to pay for that brand new entitlement. Most of the military equipment that the Army and Marine Corps has, needs to be completely rebuilt or replaced because of the Iraq war.
Where is the $15 Billion we have pledged to Africa to help fight Aids to come from? We have committed billions to the Middle East for Palestine and Israel. No Child left behind, as outlined by President Bush, is underfunded by over $20 billion dollars. How will the cost of health care that is rising many times the rate of inflation and many times the rate of the growth in real income, be paid by the poor and lower middle income American families? Where is the money for all of these things and many more that have not been included in the above to come from? Without the additional expenditures that I have identified, the current federal annual budget is in deficit by more than one half of $1 trillion this year. Every projection shows a significant and ongoing deficit as far out as any of the projections extend. It would be absurd to suggest that we can pay for these things by cutting other areas of the budget. There are simply NO CUTS, that come even come close to providing the additional resources needed to fulfill the statements made last night by President Bush. America needs to wake up and realize that the resources needed, compared with current Federal Tax Revenue are out of balance BIG TIME. We need a Marshall plan for the United States in both the Gulf area as well as many other areas where poverty exists that has yet to be exposed. Simply exposing those needs without adequate resources is not the answer.
Let's see if Mr. Bush and his conservative base is ready to pony up the money required to fulfill the promises he made last night! The poor and middle income Americans do not have the resources required and the state and local governments do not hold the answer. There is only ONE group that has the needed resources. The Base of George W. Bush which are the Haves and Have more, as the President has described those who support him.