Darlene Hooley: “when one offers with one hand and takes away with the other hand, that is called bait and switch. If one were an…”

“when one offers with one hand and takes away with the other hand, that is called bait and switch. If one were an advertiser in the public sector, one would be fined for what is going on in Congress today. This Congress is trying to tell the American public that all is well with the veterans. Yet, the Republican budget cuts veterans over 10 years by $2.3 billion. They are trying to tell us that crop insurance is okay at a time when farmers are out there in deep trouble. They are saying it is okay, we are going to take care of you. Yet, there are cuts of $4.9 billion. Health care, medical research, oh, yeah, we are increasing the budget. But guess what, it is being cut by $25 billion. Bait and switch. Worst of all to me, this Congress is telling Americans that because we add money to one part of the education budget, that we are increasing the education budget. The problem is they are taking it away from another part of the budget. Again, bait and switch. We are hearing the argument that Social Security and Medicare are first in the budget, Mr. Speaker. Bait and switch. Tax cuts are first here, nothing else. I support a tax cut that we can afford. But first we must extend the life of Social Security and Medicare. This budget has loopholes the size of the Capitol dome. To protect Social Security, we should make sure that we extend the life of Social Security.”