Stephen Slivinski is director of budget studies at the Cato Institute, has written a good analysis on the GOP, For the longest time the GOP stood for small government that did not probe into the lives of Americans. For years the would use phrases like “Tax and Spend Democrats" or "Big Government Democrats", well don't buy it, read this.

President Bush has presided over the largest overall increase in inflation-adjusted federal spending since Lyndon B. Johnson. Even after excluding spending on defense and homeland security, Bush is still the biggest-spending president in 30 years. His 2006 budget doesn't cut enough spending to change his place in history, either.

Total government spending grew by 33 percent during Bush's first term. The federal budget as a share of the economy grew from 18.5 percent of GDP on Clinton's last day in office to 20.3 percent by the end of Bush's first term.

The Republican Congress has enthusiastically assisted the budget bloat. Inflation-adjusted spending on the combined budgets of the 101 largest programs they vowed to eliminate in 1995 has grown by 27 percent.

The GOP was once effective at controlling nondefense spending. The final nondefense budgets under Clinton were a combined $57 billion smaller than what he proposed from 1996 to 2001. Under Bush, Congress passed budgets that spent a total of $91 billion more than the president requested for domestic programs. Bush signed every one of those bills during his first term. Even if Congress passes Bush's new budget exactly as proposed, not a single cabinet-level agency will be smaller than when Bush assumed office.

Republicans could reform the budget rules that stack the deck in favor of more spending. Unfortunately, senior House Republicans are fighting the changes. The GOP establishment in Washington today has become a defender of big government.

Bolds and Links Added by BushsAmerica.com

So, this is the new GOP, not “Tax and Spend” but rather the “Tax-cut, Spend, strap-the-Nation-in-debt Republicans”, I guess we are going to have to wait for a “Tax and Spend Democrat" to fix it, again.

I am not sure if you are even able to buy gas anymore, I know it has taken a huge toll on my budget. I am one of the lucky few that drive 50 miles one way to work, everyday.

Clothing, Chickens, Bacon, Tacos, Wood, Paper, Salad Dressing, Shoe laces, you name it, it is getting more costly.

So as gas prices sore, and everything under the sun increases in price gas companies are making money hand over fist. Exxon Mobil Corp yesterday profit increased 44% higher than they were last year.

So the question is really, how much of the gas prices we are paying is really just profit, not the price of a barrel of oil.

Yes, you voted against your own best interests. SUCKERS!

Here is a story from the AP,

As taxpayers recover from finishing their annual filing chores, a presidential commission studying the tax laws has reached the conclusion that there are too many deductions and credits.

To help taxpayers deal with college costs there are two different kinds of tax credits, a deduction for student loan interest and tax-advantaged savings plans. Urban and rural tax zones encourage investment and job creation. Dozens of other tax benefits help families raise children and save for retirement, encourage adoption, nudge drivers toward hybrid cars and push businesses to invest in new equipment.

“We have lost sight of the fact that the fundamental purpose of our tax system is to raise revenues to fund government,” according to President Bush’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform.

Here is a News Flash, tax the rich, and the damn oil companies. Last week your “Energy Bill” gave 1.8 Billion in tax cuts. As you can see that money is going to be shifted to the backs of the working class in the nation.

Our beloved Vice President Cheneys' tax return was released to the public. He reports that he had a deferred compensation of $194,852 he received last year from Halliburton. Nice, If I recall, he also has a ton of stock options, and as the stock goes up he makes a fortune. So let's say Halliburton were to get contracts in Iraq, or elsewhere in the world, Cheney makes millions. Oh wait….

Source

In the ever growing list of proof that Republicans do in fact hate Americans. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s Phil Singer wrote the following:

As Senate GOPers Up For Re-Election Vote Against Common Sense Efforts to Make Budget Better for Everyday Americans, Democrats Vow To Hold Them Accountable

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) warned Senate Republicans today that votes they cast this week against initiatives intended to help America's communities would come back to haunt them during the 2006 campaign.

Senate Republicans voted against a number of measures aimed at improving the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year, including initiatives geared toward protecting Social Security, improving homeland security, increasing access to affordable prescription drugs and providing quality health care to veterans.

“Senators are defined by their voting record,” DSCC Executive Director JB Poersch said. “Senators who vote against priorities like protecting Social Security benefits, making our neighborhoods safer, or providing veterans' health care can rest assured that they will pay a price come election time. We guarantee it.”

Republicans Say NO to Protecting Social Security Benefits: Allen, Burns, Chafee, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against a Resolution rejecting any Social Security plan that “requires deep benefit cuts or a massive increase in debt.” [CQ, Vote #49, 3/15/05]

Republicans Say NO to First Responders: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $1.6 billion for first responder programs. [CQ, Vote 50, 3/15/05]

Republicans Say NO to Veterans Health Care: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas Voted against $2.8 billion for veterans health care and $2.8 billion for deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #55, 3/16/05]

Republicans Say NO to Keeping Medicaid Viable: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas Voted Against Restoring $14 billion to Medicaid and Establishing a Bipartisan Medicaid Commission. [CQ, Vote #58, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to America's Homeland Security: Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Kyl, Lott, Santorum and Thomas voted against $855 million for Homeland Security Grants: first responder programs, port security grants and border patrol agents. [CQ, Vote #64, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to America's Communities: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $1.9 billion in cuts to the Community Development Block Grant Program. [CQ, Vote #65, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Vocational Training: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $7.46 billion for the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #61, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Fiscal Sanity: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas Voted against restoring pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules. [CQ, Vote #53, 3/16/05]

Republicans Say NO to Protecting ANWR: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska from oil drilling. [CQ, Vote #52, 3/16/05]

Republicans Say NO to Keeping Amtrak Operating: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $1.04 billion for Amtrak. [CQ, Vote #51, 3/16/05]

Republicans Say NO to America's Schools: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against $4.75 billion for education and $4.75 billion for deficit reduction. [CQ, Vote #45, 3/14/05]

Republicans Say NO to College Students: Allen, Burns, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $5.4 billion to education program cuts and increasing the maximum Pell Grant award to $4,500. [CQ, Vote #68, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Farmers: Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against restoring $2.8 billion to agriculture programs. [CQ, Vote #69, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to COPS: Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against increasing funding for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) by $1 billion and use $1 billion to reduce the deficit. [CQ, Vote #70, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to America's Highways: Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against increasing the budget authority for surface transportation projects. [CQ, Vote #71, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Teen Pregnancy Prevention: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Talent and Thomas voted against a resolution supporting $1 billion for family planning programs, such as teen pregnancy prevention. [CQ, Vote #75, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Disclaimers on Fake News: Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against refusing to establish any appropriations bill that allows funds to be provided for “prepackaged news stories” that do not have a disclaimer stating “Paid for by the United States Government” running throughout the presentation. [CQ, Vote #77, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Special Education: Allen, Burns, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against a reserve fund that would provide $71.3 billion for special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. [CQ, Vote #79, 3/17/05]

Republicans Say NO to Advanced Technology: Allen, Burns, Chafee, DeWine, Ensign, Frist, Hatch, Hutchison, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Santorum, Snowe, Talent and Thomas voted against making every effort to provide funding for the Advanced Technology Program. [CQ, Vote #80, 3/17/05]

Yes, he still hates Americans, I present to you as proof, this from the NY Times

President Bush is presiding over a big middle-class tax hike.

As recently as 2000, only about one million taxpayers owed the alternative minimum tax, created by a provision in the federal tax code that is supposed to prevent multimillionaires from using loopholes to avoid paying their fair share. But by the time Americans file their 2005 taxes, some 3 million taxpayers will owe the alternative tax and by 2010, nearly 30 million taxpayers will be hit - among them, a staggering 94 percent of married filers who have children and make $75,000 to $100,000.

Big families in high-tax states - New York, New Jersey, California and Massachusetts - will bear the heaviest burden, largely because the alternative tax increasingly disallows write-offs for dependents, state income taxes and local property taxes. On average, by 2010, people who make under $100,000 and owe the alternative tax will pay an additional $1,321 in federal income taxes, while alternative tax payers who make between $100,000 and $200,000 will owe an additional $2,592.

Meanwhile, and most outrageous, only 35 percent of taxpayers who earn $1 million or more will owe the alternative tax.

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