Let's Make A (Bad) Deal

The FY 2011 budget deal that Congress reached to keep the Government open illustrates the relative strength of the teahadist core of the Rethuglican Party, and the relative weakness of the Dems. The $38 billion in cuts is the largest in history, and was taken almost exclusively out of domestic discretionary spending. Since we are past the mid-point in FY 2011, the $38 billion for the remainder of the year annualizes to $76 billion, not far from the original teahadist demand of $100 billion. No special interest tax loopholes were plugged, no sacrifices made by the top income bracket in this whole process.

One bright note: the Rethuglicans failed in their drive to defund Planned Parenthood and thousands of other clinics providing health services for women. Contrary to the misinformation spread by the Rethugs -- and repeated by lazy dopes in the media -- no Federal funds would have gone to abortion services. What the Rethuglican Taliban apparently objects to is that birth control is provided to poor and working women through these clinics (along with breast exams, cancer screenings, and treatment for STDs). Birth control flies in the face of their "abstinence" nonsense, and they dug in their heels. If they had prevailed, some 2 million women could have been faced with unwanted pregnancies, and past trends indicate that as many as 800,000 could have chosen abortion. So we ask, "Why do the teahadist Rethugs want to promote abortion?"