Compassionate Conservatism in action. Cut Medicare and Medicaid. Cut Food Stamps, despite the fact that 500,000+ more people went hungry in 2004 than 2003. Cut support for foster care and child-support enforcement.

But at least there's this: "House Republican moderates have grown increasingly queasy about what one of their leaders, Rep. Michael N. Castle (Del.), calls an unbalanced package, too weighted toward cutting programs for the poor. "

Rhetoric Meets Reality in the Budget Season