Don't get your hopes up

CNSNews:

A group of U.S. House Republicans will unveil a plan Wednesday that they say will balance the federal budget in the next five years. One conservative leader calls it "a huge step forward."

"This Republican Congress should return to our roots of fiscal discipline and reform," said Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Republican Study Committee (RSC), while giving a preview of the group's new plan on Tuesday.

(snip)

In order to balance the budget while maintaining Social Security and increasing defense spending, the plan includes savings of about $350 billion in projected spending on Medicare, Medicaid and other social programs. The RSC budget would also save $300 billion through a reorganization of the U.S. Departments of Education, Commerce and Energy.

Later, on ABC News:

With many Republicans nervous about cutting popular programs in an election year, a key Senate panel is prepared to drop President Bush's proposals for politically painful cuts to Medicare, farm subsidies and food stamps.

And without spending cuts, a new round of tax cuts is also a nonstarter, stripping Bush's budget of two of its signature initiatives.

On the plus side, the lack of tax cuts will mean that the budget deficit won't grow as much as it could have. And it should be remembered that this was done more out of political fear than conviction that the budget needs to fall in line.

Don't get me wrong, spending cuts and a balanced budget are important. But doing said work on the backs of the poor and infirm seems to me the wrong way to do it.