Senate Republicans Voice Concerns Over Budget
by Guest Blogger, 2/14/2005
As Senate Budget Committee chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) noted publicly last week, the release of the President's austere budget not only has Democrats up in arms, but also is creating "some significant angst among my colleagues" on the other side of the aisle. Senator Voinovich (R-OH) in particular has come out against the fiscal irresponsibility of Bush's economic agenda, announcing last week that he will oppose efforts to make the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent. Voinovich said he will vote against the President's budget if necessary, and cited having possible support among other Republican colleagues of his in the so-called "Centrist Coalition," including Senators Collins (R-ME), Snowe (R-ME), and Bennett R-UT). See this Toledo Blade article for additional information.
In related news, an article in today's Washington Post reports other lawmakers, including Senator McCain (R-AZ), have been raising concerns regarding the long term costs of some of Bush's fiscal policies. The article hints that people eyeing the White House in 2008 have reason to be worried since budget costs are expected to drastically increase in the coming years.
