Bush's budget is destructive to U.S.

Last night I saw a documentary, "Riding the Rails," which depicted the desperate poverty of the Great Depression. That was a time before the social safety nets we have in place such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The film reminded me of the great value and importance of these social programs that give a hand up to people when they're down so that they can fend for themselves again.

Neo-conservatives talk about "starving the beast" (government) by lowering taxes for the corporate wealthy, increasing military spending and cutting social programs. To them government is regarded as an ill rather than as a good, and unnecessary for functions other than military. They, and most politicians of either party for that matter, rarely object to how much money is spent on defense despite the fact that we outspend our nearest rival, Russia, by a factor of seven. It's cast as unpatriotic or weak to broach cutting any military spending, even programs that are obvious failures such as the missile defense system.

A strong nation has a healthy population, solid infrastructure and viable economy in addition to an adequate defense. The president's budget is a formula for bankrupting the nation by excessive military spending, underfunding education, health care, environmental safeguards, and increasing the tax burden on the poor and middle class while decreasing the tax burden on the wealthy (remember the Robber Barons of yore). He's leading us down the same road the Soviet Union traveled with predictable, dire results unless we stop him.

Gena DiLabio, Coupeville

Letters to the Editor - Skagit Valley Herald