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March 17, 2005

Mr. Smith goes to Washington

In what is being billed as "an embarrassing setback to President Bush and Republican leaders," the Senate voted to strip all proposed Medicaid cuts from the $2,600,000,000,000 (lotta zeros, huh) budget for next year. Bush was relying on the Medicaid cuts to help reduce the massive federal deficit.

Oregon's own Senator Gordon Smith (R) was the chief sponsor of the amendment, which passed 52-48. It doesn't make up for his support for the grossly anti-family bankruptcy bill or his ideologically-driven quest to ensure increase abortions (even though he opposes abortion...). But, he deserves to be recognized for keeping a semi-pragmatic eye to his own re-election in a Blue State even if it meant going against the wishes of the Republican Party Establishment.

Before anyone cheers too loudly it needs to be noted that the Medicaid cuts can still be revived when the House and Senate try writing a compromise budget next month. And while Smith's amendment cut out $14 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts, the House passed a budget which includes $20 billion in Medicaid cuts.

The reality is that this amendment could have simply been a safe way for Smith to score political points back home while knowing that the GOP-dominated House and Senate likely will try to reinstate the cuts when they meet to hash out a budget.

Posted by Kevin at March 17, 2005 12:21 PM