IN THE NEWS

Editorial

Wichita Eagle

BUT BUSH NEEDS TO SHARE BUDGET PAIN

February 8, 2005

After four years of overseeing record budget deficits, President Bush is finally taking steps to curb federal spending. Unfortunately, his proposed budget cuts aren't big enough to make much of a dent on the deficit, and they disproportionately target needy Americans.

Mr. Bush sent Congress a $2.57 trillion budget plan Monday. It would reduce the budgets of 12 of the government's 23 major agencies, including agriculture, environmental protection, transportation, and housing and urban development.

However, even with these proposed cuts -- many of which are unlikely to pass Congress -- federal spending would increase by 3.5 percent in Mr. Bush's budget. That's because Mr. Bush is increasing spending on defense and homeland security, and he isn't cutting federal entitlement spending, which is the majority of the budget.

What's more, Mr. Bush's budget plan doesn't include money for the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan -- which the Congressional Budget Office estimated would cost nearly $600 billion during the next 10 years. It also doesn't include his initiative to partially privatize Social Security -- which could cost $2 trillion during the next two decades.

Still, at least Mr. Bush is starting to make an effort to reduce spending. During his first four years in office, spending increased by 29 percent, the fastest growth since the 1960s. That has to stop.

But to really reduce the deficit, Mr. Bush can't do it only on the backs of farmers and those with low incomes, nor should he try. For example, Mr. Bush shouldn't cut food stamp benefits while he is still trying to make his tax cuts permanent, which would cost an estimated $1.29 trillion during the next 10 years.

If Mr. Bush is serious about lowering the deficit, then everyone needs to share the pain.