Rijk en Arm in VS

In de Verenigde Staten leven meer dan veertig miljoen mensen onder de armoedegrens en evenzoveel inwoners hebben er geen ziektekostenverzekering. 1 procent van de bevolking bezit er meer dan 40 procent van 's lands rijkdommen. Dit alles is democratisch beslist. Maar nog is de hebzucht van de rijken er niet bevredigd. De neoliberalen zijn onverzadigbaar. Democracy Now meldt: 'Cheney Casts Tie-Breaking Senate Vote Cutting $40 Billion to the Poor. Yesterday the senate narrowly passed a budget bill to cut $40 billion dollars of federal spending by ending funding for foster care, child support and student loans. The bill would also impose new fees on Medicaid recipients and new work restrictions on state welfare programs. We speak with Robert Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities about details of the bill. The $40 billion dollars in budget cuts is dwarfed by the $70 billion dollar cost of a Republican proposal expected to be voted on next year that would extend previous tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003. The contentious budget bill was passed by a 50 to 51 vote. Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in opposing the measure. Their combined votes would have led to a 50-50 tie. However, Vice President Dick Cheney cut short his trip to the Middle East in order to cast the tie-breaking vote.' Zie: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/22/1521254