"I believe it is fair to say most Republicans did not think George W. Bush was motivated to run for the presidency for the primary reason of cutting or controlling spending. But it is also fair to say that they did not think he was Lyndon B. Johnson. And that's what he's turned into."
Which quote is related to this USA Today article, Federal aid programs expand at record rate. (Published while I was on vacation) Excerpted:
A sweeping expansion of social programs since 2000 has sparked a record increase in the number of Americans receiving federal government benefits such as college aid, food stamps and health care.A USA TODAY analysis of 25 major government programs found that enrollment increased an average of 17% in the programs from 2000 to 2005. The nation's population grew 5% during that time. [...]
It was the largest five-year expansion of the federal safety net since the Great Society created programs such as Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s.
Spending on these social programs was $1.3 trillion in 2005, up an inflation-adjusted 22% since 2000 and accounting for more than half of federal spending. Enrollment growth was responsible for three-fourths of the spending increase, according to USA TODAY's analysis of federal enrollment and spending data. Higher benefits accounted for the rest.
That won't stop some Democrats from claiming Republicans don't care about the poor. But considering what the welfare state does to its 'beneficiaries,' that claim may actually have some merit for once.
FWIW, I think its fair to say each of those parties has equal regard for the poor.
Posted by Walter at March 21, 2006 12:25 PM