President\’s plan slashes Medicare, busts the budget
WASHINGTON- On Feb. 7, President Clinton unveiled the last budget proposal of his presidency. The President\’s aims to spend nearly $1.3 trillion of the expected $1.9 trillion non-Social Security surplus over ten years. Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, issued the following statement regarding the President\’s budget proposal:
"The President\’s budget puts the federal government on a slippery slope toward increasing debts and more tax increases by calling for a trillion dollar increase in discretionary spending between 2001 and 2010.
"The President proposes spending $1.3 trillion over 10 years: $800 billion on discretionary programs, $300 billion for health care, and $200 billion in higher debt service costs. The result is almost 70 percent of the non-Social Security surplus being eliminated.
"The President\’s proposal also has $237 billion in tax increases hidden throughout it. In many instances, these increases take the form of user fees, which are easier to get by the average taxpayer.
"Eighty-three new programs are created in the President\’s budget. Moreover, the President calls for significantly increasing spending on another 155 programs.
"In a surprising strike at the elderly, the Clinton budget calls for cutting Medicare by $70 billion over 10 years.
"After years of posturing about the debt, Clinton has decided to bust the budget. With this proposal, Clinton has certainly tried to have something for everyone: wiping out the vast majority of the non-Social Security surplus and creating new government programs for those Americans who are concerned about the debt and budget deficits, slashing Medicare for the elderly folks across the country, and increasing taxes for the working American. What a legacy."