I should no longer be surprised, yet I am. I am still surprised and outraged every time I read about yet another riduculous move made by the Bush Administration. His proposed budget makes significant cuts and many of the most important areas -- education and healthcare, especially for the poor and aged, for example. How can this happen? The most needy can't afford high priced lobbyists.

These cuts are mainly so the wealthy and elite in the US can save a few dollars, that they don't need, in tax. And the money for the war? According to recent reports much of the oil money from Sadam that was supposed to be helping to pay for the rebuild is missing and unaccounted for as well. Sloopy and suspicious. And US tax payers have to foot the rest of the bill.

Disasters are looming around every corner for the US if we do not do something and soon. I confess I did not actually watch the State of Union address but I was cautiously hopeful when I saw they headlines talking about the need to cut our foreign oil dependency and talking not just about drilling but conservation. But, it was all smoke. His spin team has been back-tracking every step. There is very little chance he will push, or even allow, one or both of two measures that are needed to cut our consumption -- fuel standards and gasoline tax. The dollars he talked about committing to research in renewable energy is apparently less than was actually already allocated.

As for the deficit, according to an article I read in the Miami Herald, the budget bill won't reduce the deficit with its projected $38.8 billion in savings over five years. Pending tax-cut measures that will cost between $60 billion to $95 billion over five years not only will wipe out any savings but actually increase the deficit.

No big secret what team bush priorities are. What are yours???