Majority Whip James E. Clybrun, Co-Chair of the Democratic Rural Working Group, Congressman Bob Etheridge and Congresswoman Nancy Boyda hold a teleconference on February 15
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"Train wreck" and "disaster" were the words that Rep. Nancy Boyda and two Democratic colleagues used Thursday to describe the budget they inherited when Republicans lost control of Congress.
Boyda, D-Kan., Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., and Rep. Bob Etheridge, D-N.C., blasted President Bush's budget proposal during a conference call with the media.
They also accused Bush of hurting rural Americans and veterans.
Etheridge said the will of the American people wasn't a part of the president's budget proposal.
"It's just one more example of this administration's misplaced priorities," he said.
Clyburn said he and his colleagues were ready to drop the president's proposal and "start over."
Boyda added that Democrats faced a mess when they came into office because Republicans had passed only two of 11 spending measures necessary to run the government.
Kris Kobach, Kansas Republican Party chairman, however, lauded Bush's proposal as one that focuses on making tough choices and said Republicans would be happy to take back Boyda's seat if she was uncomfortable making tough budget decisions.
Those comments "show she doesn't understand the budgeting process. It's a series of ongoing outlays," Kobach said. "She's already revealed herself to be an old-time, tax-and-spend Democrat."
Boyda, though, said Republicans' positions on issues important to rural Americans were what swept her into office.
"I think I'm here in Congress because so many people in my district feel like they've been left out of this economy," Boyda said. "If you ask them what they see five years down the road, you see their concerns."
Boyda also criticized funding cuts to veterans programs, which she said are creating a "perfect storm" with rising health care costs across the country.
"You talk about a train wreck. We're already seeing the effects of not having the veterans funded, especially as our young men and women come home with psychological difficulties," Boyda said.
Kobach was surprised at Boyda's comment.
"That's rich, coming from a woman who just voted to slash funding from our military at Fort Riley," Kobach said. "She's part of an organized Democratic effort to gin up opposition to the president's budget."
Clyburn also touted the Democrats' proposal to increase funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program as part of the supplemental funding bill that President Bush has requested to fund ongoing military operations.
Boyda said that program would be particularly beneficial to Kansans.
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