USA: Bush funds Iraq war by slashing healthcare

From British weekly Socialist Worker:

Bush funds war by slashing healthcare

George Bush plans to ramp up funding for the military and police while slashing healthcare and welfare, according to budget plans for 2008 announced on Monday of this week.

Far from pulling back from the disastrous “war on terror”, the US president wants to fund a permanent war drive across the globe.

Bush has requested $481 billion for the US Department of Defence next year – a 62 percent rise since he took office in 2001.

The US State Department – which implements foreign policy – will receive a 22 percent rise in funding to $35 billion next year.

Overall Bush wants to spend $145 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008, on top of $555 billion spent already.

But funding for healthcare, education and housing will either be cut back or squeezed.

Bush wants to cut $101 billion in health insurance for the poor and elderly over the next five years.

Education spending is also being targeted. The education budget for next year will be $59 billion, down from $68 billion this year and $93 billion in 2005.

The budget for the Envi­ronmental Protection Agency will also be cut.

Bush’s tax cuts for the rich: here.

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