Government aid for Turkey, but not for thee

Wherever you're reading this from, chances are your state is struggling with tough decisions about cutting vital services in attempts at balancing the budget. Who's to blame for all this? Why, George W. Bush, of course. Marta Russell observes in an excellent ZNet commentary that much of the available money is being funneled into a war with Iraq and, worse yet, to buy off potential allies like Turkey. So, while India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Philippines, Jordan, Oman, and Yemen (to name but a few) are getting millions in military funding, places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota are told by the president that the federal government can't "bail out the states." Remember this next presidential election. Or next time you write a letter to the editor of your local paper.

Bush Billions To Turkey: Screw The Govs, And The Poor Too.

Governors, who've been told by President Bush to go home and stare at their own budget spreadsheets, ought to take a look at the president's spending plans and start screaming bloody murder! Because it seems that many states - foreign states - are going to get the dollars they so badly need to save so many social safety net programs.

Consider some recent headlines: "Governors, Hurting Financially, Ask Washington for Assistance" (New York Times, 2/23/03), "President Bush Rejects Governor's Request for Additional Medicaid, Homeland Security Funds"(California Healthline, 2/25/03), "Bush Proposes Major Changes in Medicare and Medicaid" (New York Times, 2/24/03), "Iraq War Cost Could Soar, Pentagon Says" (Los Angeles Times, 2/26/03).

The Pentagon now estimates the cost of the Iraq War and occupation for 6 months to cost $85 billion. But when the bribes to Turkey are added on to allow American troops on its soil --$6 to10 billion in grants and up to $20 to 24 billion in long-term aid loans -- that could top the $100 billion mark or "twice the war costs cited just last month by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and an amount that the White House dismissed as outlandish last fall." (LA Times, 2/26/03).

Surprising the Bush gang, however, the Turkish Parliament, albeit narrowly, decided against taking Bush's money and allowing US combat troops in for now. It would seem democracy is stronger there than here, where our congress has not voted on the war with Iraq.

At home the Govs are facing the worst fiscal crisis since WWII. The National Governors Association asked Bush for new federal financial assistance for state Medicaid programs. Medicaid, which covers some 45 million people, has grown in recent years due to the number of uninsured rising in a soft economy, high insurance premiums, and private insurance out of pocket costs.

The Govs asked for more federal funding. They were in agreement that the federal government should cover the cost of long-term care for low-income seniors and disabled who qualify for Medicaid and Medicare - and for homeland security to secure our still vulnerable cities, towns and ports.

Bush, however, flatly turned them down stating there is no more money for anything. Bush told them "the federal government has fiscal problems of its own and could not bail out the states." (New York Times, 2/25/03)

Read more of Russell's ZNet commentary, including a list of who--you not included--is getting how much. (Thanks, Heather.)