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November 13, 2005GOP moderates, revolt!After nearly five years, it appears that the moderate, middle wing of the Republican Party has finally had it with the radical agenda forced upon Congress since President Bush took office. On Thursday, House Republican leaders had to pull a $54 billion budget-cutting bill because moderates said no. The bill would have zapped Medicaid, food stamps, agriculture subsidies, student loans and a host of other programs in the name of trimming the bloated, pork-laden federal budget. In the Senate, a revolt by moderates forced postponement of a bill that would have extended Bush tax cuts on dividends and capital gains. According to the Washington Post, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) declared she could not support a tax cut that primarily benefited the rich as Congress was trying to cut programs for the poor. And no one even spoke about the tens of billions being spent to fight Mr. Bush's war in Iraq or the hundreds of millions given as incentives to the oil industry at a time of record profits. The Post said moderates complained that adopting policy changes which hit the nation's most vulnerable citizens while preparing another round of tax cuts for the most affluent was not how they wanted their party to be viewed. Hopefully, Reps. Dave Camp (R-Midland) and Peter Hoekstra (R-Holland), who represent portions of northern Michigan, will join in bringing their party back toward the middle and fair policies that benefit everyone, not just those with the deepest pocketbooks. Government must serve all needs equally. But for the past four years, it has been hijacked by a radical leadership that has put the needs of the richest first. It's time for a more moderate - and more ethical - direction.
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