"Senators Edge Toward Kids Insurance Deal"

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Democrats are cutting back on their proposed expansion of a health insurance program for children, a Republican lawmaker involved in the discussions said Tuesday.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Democrats were looking to increase spending on the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over five years - $15 billion less than they had originally discussed.

Emerging from a meeting with other members of the Senate Finance Committee, Hatch said Democrats would pay for the expansion through an increase in the federal excise tax on tobacco, which now stands at 39 cents a pack.

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the committee's chairman, said lawmakers were working out final details of a package that he planned to unveil later this week. He and other lawmakers declined to discuss the details.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070710/D8QA0EI80.html

Cut taxes! Cut taxes! Cut taxes! Cut taxes! Cut taxes!

That's all they can think of.

When your only tool is a hammer, all of your problems start to look like nails. :shrug: