In the Feb. 24 issue of The Daily Star, there was a letter from Congressman Michael R. McNulty, D-Green Island. When so many (how can I say this in a restrained way?) fabrications are stated, I can hardly sit by and let them go unchallenged.

First is the congressman’s straight-from-the-Democrats’ playbook, scare tactics and mis-truths throughout his letter. To mention just a few: "slashes educational spending," "mortgages our grandchildren’s future," "unfairness of proposals breathtaking," and finally, "being both fiscally and morally irresponsible."

First of all, Congressman, a slowing of the growth of a budgeted item is not a cut. If one proposes an increase from $10 to $20 but trims it to $18, that is a slowing of growth. If one proposes a cut from the $10, that means the $10 decreases to $8. I know you are misusing the terms for political gain, but a second-grader can see the difference.

Let’s take the issues one at a time: There is no one who respects our military men and women more than I do. The Office of Management and Budget says that spending for veterans actually increased by 11 percent to $77.85 billion. The decrease in benefits you are talking about is due to an increase in co-pay for prescription medication from $7 to $15. To demand that the government absorb all of the increase is unreasonable. President Bush cannot control the cost of medication.

You state that 46 million Americans lack health insurance, and that figure is correct. Is it possible that the uncontrolled increases in costs might no longer be affordable to businesses? Don’t blame Bush for that, as he cannot control rises in medical costs.

Spending for Medicare and Social Security went up 6.7 percent to $980.15 billion, and spending for health programs decreased by 4.9 percent to $280.01 billion, which is still more than half of the amount spent for national defense! I certainly don’t agree with the 8.7 percent cut in national defense to $513.03 billion, but you can see Bush has put health care above defense spending.

I agree with you, somewhat, on the proposals for increases involving the dairy industry. There are no harder-working individuals in the U.S. than our farmers. Remember, however, that these are just proposals. I doubt there will be any cuts in the final plan.

Spending for agriculture as a whole increased 9.7 percent to $27.06 billion. A more-reasonable approach would be to end paying farmers for not growing certain crops and instead aggressively pursue the opening of other countries’ markets for our agricultural products.

We have, for too long, allowed other countries to keep their markets closed to U.S. goods while we don’t do the same for their goods. Our farmers can compete and win every time if the playing field is level.

Thank heavens the budget for education is being cut. This is the most wasteful, unproductive agency in the federal government. In 1996, an investigation made by the House of Representatives’ Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee documented 760 unconstitutional federal education programs — 175 from the Department of Education alone — located in 39 separate agencies, departments, commissions and boards!

These combined unconstitutional funds totaled $120 billion. Further, the committee found that only 6 percent of these programs have as their primary function the teaching of math, reading or science!

A study released in 2000 by the (bipartisan) American Legislative Exchange Council showed that there was no correlation between increased spending and student achievement.

I have a column coming up later to address his "tax cuts for the wealthy."

Congressman McNulty, leaders lead. President Bush has provided a budget proposal for negotiation. Your party has offered no plan whatsoever. If you are going to criticize others, tell me what your plan is. Stop whining!

Not once in your letter did you suggest alternative strategies. The federal government cannot be all things to all people. The government isn’t there to grant our every wish. We can only expect government to provide in a fiscally responsible fashion.

You insist on going in another direction? Unemployment is at 4.9 percent, the lowest since the ’70s (Labor Department). There are 4.5 million more workers now than in May 2003, before the Bush tax cuts (The Wall Street Journal). We have an economic growth rate of 3.5 to 4 percent, about twice the rate in Europe (The Journal). States the Journal, this is "especially remarkable given eight Federal Reserve Board interest-rate hikes, oil prices as high as $70 a barrel, and Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history."

What policies do you want to pursue that will take our country in another direction, Mr. Congressman?

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Tom Sears is a professor of accounting at Hartwick College in Oneonta and serves on the Unatego Central School Board of Education. He can be reached at SearsT@hartwick.edu. His column appears every other week.