Wednesday
Feb252009
Sending people to Mars won't help cut the deficit
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 12:52PM
by Suzia van Swol and Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
After the President's Address to Congress, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) says that he thinks it is possible to cut the deficit in half if, "you stop this cold war defense weapons spending, and you curtail very expensive sending people to Mars, you cut back on excessive agriculture spending as he said, and you let taxes on the wealthiest people go back to where they were under Bill Clinton when the economy prospered, that you can do this." (0:29)
After the President's Address to Congress, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) says that he thinks it is possible to cut the deficit in half if, "you stop this cold war defense weapons spending, and you curtail very expensive sending people to Mars, you cut back on excessive agriculture spending as he said, and you let taxes on the wealthiest people go back to where they were under Bill Clinton when the economy prospered, that you can do this." (0:29)
Gordon Brown: “With faith in the future, We can build tomorrow today”
The Rt. Hon Gordon Brown, M.P., Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, received several standing ovations and cheers today as he delivered his first address to the 111th Congress.
Gordon Brown is the fifth United Kingdom Prime Minister to jointly address both the Senate and House of Representatives in the U.S. Capitol.
The Prime Minister stated that the rest of the world “needs” and “wants to work” with America during this time of economic instability. “America knows from its history that its reach goes far beyond its geography,” Brown said.
Brown received cheers when talking about a need, for the whole world to work together on tackling the economic crisis.
Brown said: “We should seize this moment - because never before have I seen a world so willing to come together. Never before has this been more needed. And never before have the benefits of unity been so far reaching.”
Adding to this sense of the need for unity and working together, Brown said: “Let me say that you now have the most pro-American European leadership in living memory. A leadership that wants to cooperate more closely together, in order to cooperate more closely with you. There is no old Europe, no new Europe, there is only your friend Europe.”
Addressing the war on terror, Brown stated: “Let me promise you our continued support to ensure there is no hiding place for terrorists, no safe haven for terrorism. You should be proud that in the hard years since 2001 you have shown that while terrorists may destroy buildings and even, tragically, lives, they have not, and will not ever, destroy the American spirit.”
Brown paid tribute to the lost lives of American soldiers who have died protecting their country. Brown said: “Whenever a young American soldier, or marine, sailor or airman is killed in conflict anywhere in the world, we, the people of Britain, grieve with you.”
Brown also paid tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy who received an honorary knighthood for Her Majesty the Queen on March, 3, this year for his work in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Prime Minister Brown concluded by discussing the need to help those in the poorest nations of Africa facing torture. He also commented on the fight involving climate change.