Leave it to Republicans to argue that the federal government needs to encourage people who are already rich, while punishing students for daring to try to raise above their station.

That's the effect of the Republican budget, whose ironically entitled "deficit reduction plan," which cuts more revenue than spending, actually increases the deficit. Ah, but these Republicans are against education, so to actually "do the math" would be the act of a radical moonbat, right?

Under the bill, college students would pay higher interest rates on loans. Many banks will receive lower subsidies. And the Education Department will work with the Internal Revenue Service to ferret out students and parents who underreport incomes on financial aid applications. The budget bill is estimated to save $39.7 billion over the next five years. Student aid accounts for $12.7 billion of the savings, or 32 percent.

...because if there's one thing wrong with this country, it's how students are destroying America. After all, it's people who went to school who ask those damn questions, always those damn questions.

"Enough with the damned questions!" the Republican Congress declared in passing this bill.

They also got their licks in on the poor, who just have it too good.

¶States would have sweeping new authority to impose premiums and co-payments on millions of low-income people covered by Medicaid. States can also scale back benefits for many recipients.

¶For the elderly, it would be more difficult to qualify for Medicaid coverage for nursing home care if they transfer assets to their children or other relatives for less than fair market value.

¶Medicare would freeze payments for home health services and reduce payments for medical imaging.

¶Welfare recipients would be subject to stricter work requirements. States would be subject to new financial penalties unless they put more people to work or further reduce the number of families receiving assistance.

¶Aid that helps states collect child support from absent parents would be reduced.

Yeah. Kick the poor folks. They're bad people for being poor anyway, right? Why do they insist on being poor? Why don't they just be rich, and then they'll get the full benefits of governmental blessings!

In this holiday season, Jesus can be proud of these Republicans.

About author

media girl also blogs at other places.