Perhaps, if the budget resolution developed by negotiations between the U.S. House and Senate lowered the deficit, we could understand the need to pass it.

But it doesnt. The deal, as it has been described, includes $70 billion in tax cuts, most of which would be directed toward families making more than $200,000 a year and would actually make the deficit $125 billion worse than if Congress takes no action. While the sweetener of adding to the almost $2 trillion in tax cuts passed since 2001 might be too much for some conservatives to resist regardless of who benefits, the offsets are stunning. To make room for the cuts, the resolution requires a $10 billion reduction in spending on Medicaid which provides health care for the poor and pays for the nursing home care of many retirees. For states struggling to contain the soaring costs of Medicaid, the cut could be crippling, while thousands of children from low-income families would lose health coverage.

As if that werent bad enough, there are also cuts in other programs aimed at helping the poor. Food stamps, Supplemental Security Income and other human services programs are all on the block.

For what? Given the guidelines of the budget resolution, the budget deficit will still increase. Low-income families will suffer. And high earners will get another round of tax cuts.

The original Senate version of the budget resolution passed with only 51 votes. Sen. Susan Collins, who had negotiated along with Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon to eliminate the cuts to Medicaid, voted for passage. Now that cuts have been added back into the package, there was no reason for her to support it.

The budget resolution greases the skids for Congress to do a lot of bad things. Collins and Maines other senator, Olympia Snowe, should have opposed it. They had the power to make a difference and protect the safety net that helps millions of families.