The Bush budget, cuts in low places

The president's budget is out, and it's a doozie. Aside from taking whacks at "inefficient" and "unproductive" programs, it shows some clear ideological preferences--and just a touch of ye olde shell game. This is what I can tell so far:

• Byrne-grant task forces are said to be cut by 90 percent, making any action by the Texas legislature all but moot.
• My issue, despite a positive mention in the State of the Union Address, receives a mere $10 million increase. Experts say that we need (nationally) $197 million just to maintain current services. (Did we not just note that cost shifting is alive and well in Austin? Why should DC be any different?) And, BTW, we're going to need $15.4 million in your state tax dollars to make up for this little federal budget problem.
• Social security reform isn't even in the budget.
• Additional funds for the war in (supply name) are not in the budget.
• Medicare reform is not in the budget.
• Medicaid is slashed by some ridiculous percent. Makes one wonder why no reporter back in 2000 ever made the connection between the tight-fisted, uncompassionate Texas Medicaid program and any potential action by the former-governor-future-president. But, we'll also need some huge addition in your state tax dollars to take care of indigent health care in Texas if this Medicaid cut goes through. (Gotta have state dollars because a lotta counties sure don't want to take care of their poor folks.)

Guess we'll all be feeling some pain from this one. OTOH, abstinence-only education got a nod from the President for a $38 million increase. We know how well that works, now, don't we?