11. Republicans said that the bill would not cut welfare spending, just slow its growth, and that welfare programs had condemned millions of families to lives of dependence. 12. Some government officials and financial analysts insisted new welfare restrictions would help municipalities cut spending and boost credit ratings. 13. The control board is pressing local leaders to cut more spending and reduce the size of city government. 14. The GOP plan would cut Medicare spending compared to what it would be if Congress did nothing. 15. The Republicans have wanted to cut more spending than the Democrats, who have been more optimistic about revenues than the Republicans. 16. The way to balance the budget, he says, is to cut spending, not mess with the Constitution. 17. The voucher plan gives them an excuse to cut education spending. 18. They say new welfare restrictions will help municipalities cut spending and boost credit ratings. 19. Though Brazil is still vulnerable to the strains and threats from emerging markets half a world away, the federal government in Brasilia has ceased moves to cut spending. 20. Those concerns, however, subsided after Brazilian financial authorities adopted tough measures, such as raising interest rates and cutting spending, to prop up the real. |