Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Operation Offset was to be brought to the floor of the house on October 20th.   Congressman Pence withdrew it..  MoveOn and others, including our campaign, put forth a concerted effort to raise awareness of this legislation under the guise of Hurricane Relief.  This legislation will come back.  Word behind the scenes is that Congressman Pence is trying to become the next Majority Leader and a possible Presidential Candidate in '08, to replace Bush as the Neo Con in Chief.

Examples of cuts in Operation Offset:
Increase Allowable Co-pays in Medicaid
Block Grant Medicaid Acute Services
Impose a Home Health Co-payment of 10%
Eliminate Millennium Challenge Accounts Level Funding for Peacekeeping Operations
Eliminate International Fund for Ireland
Level Funding for Global AIDS Initiative
Level Funding for Inter-American Foundation
Level Funding for the African Development Foundation
Level Funding for the Peace Corps
Level Funding for Andean Counter-Drug Initiative
Reduce USAID Operating Expenses
Level Funding for the International Development Assoc.
Eliminate the National Science Foundation Math and Science Program
Eliminate State and Community Grants for Energy Conservation
Limit Future Enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program
Eliminate the National Parks Heritage Areas and Statutory Aid
Eliminate Federal Grants for Wastewater Infrastructure
Eliminate the Energy Star Program
Eliminate the Science to Achieve Results Program
Eliminate Payments to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Reduce Federal Subsidies for Amtrak
Eliminate the Next Generation of High-Speed Rail
Eliminate the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
Eliminate the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Eliminate the Economic Development Administration
Eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency
Eliminate State Grants for Safe and Drug-Free Schools
Eliminate the Even Start Program
Eliminate Funding for the National and Community Service Act
Eliminate Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Eliminate Federal Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Raise the Threshold for Davis-Bacon Coverage
Eliminate Funding for the National Endowment for the Arts
Eliminate Funding for National Endowment for Humanities
Reduce Funding for the Centers for Disease Control
Reduce Funding for Department of Education Administration
Level Funding DOE Departmental Administration Funding
Level Funding for FAA Operations
Eliminate the Applied Research for Renewable Energy Sources Program
Eliminate the Clean Coal Technology Program
Eliminate the FreedomCAR Program
Eliminate the Research Initiative for Future Agriculture Systems
Eliminate the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative

And there is more.  Again see http://johnshadegg.house.go v/rsc/ for the entire list of cuts and environmental non-conservation policies.

I ask you to consider supporting our campaign of "People Before Profits" against Congressman Pence and the Bush-DeLay Neo Conservative Machine.

www.barrywelsh.org