The Green Scissors Campaign would like to introduce you to The Chopping Block, a new bulletin that will give you the low-down on how federal programs that cost taxpayer dollars are also harming the environment and endangering public health.
Deficits continue to soar to record levels, yet a severe case of budgetary somnambulism prevails, as wasteful program after wasteful moves through the budget program without scrutiny. We hope The Chopping Block serves as an effective source to keep you apprised of where tax dollars are going and what programs should be first in line for the Congressional axe.
Each issue of The Chopping Block will give you a few examples of wasteful government programs, and provide links to additional information if you are interested in "getting into the weeds." In the next few months, we'll keep you up-to-date on energy giveaways in the overblown energy bill, wasteful highway projects in the transportation bill, and fat that can be cut during the appropriations process. We'll also keep you informed about long-standing agricultural subsidies and long-running water projects.
The Campaign's History: Trimming the Fat
The Green Scissors Campaign, led by Friends of the Earth, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and U.S. Public Interest Research Group, believes that government can work to the benefit of the American people, but all too often our spending policies end up benefiting wealthy special interests at the expense of the majority of American taxpayers. Even worse, our tax dollars often support programs that actually harm the environment and public health. That's why the Green Scissors Coalition emerged ten years ago to protect taxpayers and the environment by watchdogging the federal government. We've had important victories along the way, cutting more than $26 billion in wasteful spending from the budget while preventing tens of billions more from being enacted. Unfortunately, there is much more work to be done; cutting wasteful spending in the federal budget is one tall mountain to climb.
A Preview of the First Edition
In the coming weeks, Congress will consider the newest incarnation of the Energy bill, The Energy Policy Act of 2005, a virtual carbon copy of last year's failed bill. The House proposal contains nearly $50 billion in authorized spending and another $8.0 billion in tax breaks, but much of this spending looks a lot more like corporate welfare for oil, gas, nuclear, and coal companies and a lot less like the comprehensive energy legislation our nation needs. The Chopping Block's first edition will tell you what you need to know about the bill and provide some in-depth discussion of provisions regarding clean coal and nuclear subsidies.
Can't wait? Check out these resources for current information on the energy bill:
Synthetic Fuels provisions (Section 29)
Energy Information Administration conclusion that energy bill won't reduce oil consumption
Washington Post editorial opposing last year's energy bill
