Note: President Bush released his FY 2009 budget proposal today. It eliminates or cuts many key
education programs and slashes Medicare and Medicaid by almost $200 billion. The budget provides
inadequate increases to Title I and special education, yet diverts $300 million to a new, unproven
national voucher program and adds more than $100 million to a flawed teacher pay plan (the Teacher
Incentive Fund). Overall, the budget essentially freezes domestic discretionary funding at current levels,
which will result in cuts to most services after taking inflation and population growth into account. The
budget now goes to Congress for its consideration and modification.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The best news about President Bush’s budget is that it’s his last. Seven years
of irresponsible tax cuts, bad economic policies and soaring military spending have landed the nation in
a deep fiscal hole. The president’s FY 2009 budget proposal digs that hole deeper, increasing the deficit
to $400 billion while saddling children, seniors and other vulnerable populations with the brunt of cuts
to vital public services. We urge Congress to reject this budget and put forth a plan that better reflects
the nation’s values and priorities.
The silver lining is that once President Bush leaves office, we finally will have the opportunity to
address the mess he has left behind—$9 trillion in debt, chronic revenue shortfalls, and shameful
underinvestment in our nation’s schools, universities, infrastructure and healthcare services.
Recovering from this president’s mistakes will require bold, new leadership in 2009. The scope of the
challenges ahead underscores the importance of electing candidates in 2008 who have the experience,
know-how and commitment to tackle big problems and restore the American dream for millions of
working families.
The AFT represents 1.4 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related
personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; nurses and healthcare workers;
and federal, state and local government employees.