From New Deal to Raw Deal: Americans Abandoned in Hour of Need

President Bush is pressing for aggressive federal spending cuts, reports the New York Times, and the cuts fall most heavily on the nation's children. This follows numerous other examples of Administration parsimony toward vulnerable citizens - the poor, the sick, the elderly, and disabled veterans - perpetrated as part of the Bush doctrine of "personal responsibility," a doctrine that seems to apply to everyone except the Administration.

Meanwhile, the wealthy continue to receive giant goody-bags of tax cuts. The Sarasota Herald Tribune describes a little known provision in the Bush hurricane relief bill that gives the rich an opportunity to deduct up to 100 % of their income if they donate to almost any charity.

Those unfortunate enough to fall upon hard times increasingly are being left to rely on the tax-break motivated generosity of the country's wealthy few. As a result of this policy, the nation is deep in debt to foreign lenders, including China. Of course, tax breaks cannot continue indefinitely and when they stop, those in need will have no where to turn.

We wonder if the Administration plans for millionaires to defend our shores from terrorists and potential invaders; for, if this trend continues, everyone else will be too sick and ill-equipped to do the job.