Victory Party

It is some measure of the times that passing budget cuts on health care for the poor and elderly (often one and the same) and jacking up interest rates on student loans is viewed as a "victory" by congressional Republicans. The House just passed this mean-spirited, budgetary band-aid by two votes. This would be the same congressional House that never seems to have any shortage of funds when they lard subsidies upon the most profitable companies on earth.

To give you an idea of just how mean-spirited this budget hack is, get a load of the fact that a provision in the bill would

temporarily strip Medicaid coverage from elderly nursing home residents if they had given away money in the previous five years. The provision would cover money given to charity [...] or to a grandchild for tuition....

I will admit, when it comes to callous measures, this Congress has an aptitude rarely seen in modern times.