Last August, when partisan conflict in Congress threatened to shut down the federal government, a budget compromise prevented chaos. It specified that unless a major debt-reduction strategy was approved, automatic cuts would remove $600 billion from both the Pentagon and social programs over the next decade.

Ever since, "hawk" Republicans who control the House have tried to block the approved reduction in militarism, and instead inflict the entire $1.2 trillion cutback on less-privileged American families.

Last week, the GOP-controlled House Agriculture Committee voted to halt food stamps for 2 million low-income Americans, and reduce them for 44 million others. It voted to stop free school lunches for 280,000 poorer pupils.

Meanwhile, the GOP-controlled House Ways and Means Committee is trying to slash health care, rather than reduce militarism.

House Republicans want to give ever-bigger tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires, while they shaft ordinary Americans.

An Associated Press analysis of the budget strategy of the presumed Republican presidential nominee began:

"Reducing government deficits Mitt Romney's way would mean less money for health care for the poor and disabled, and big cuts to nuts-and-bolts functions such as food inspection, border security and education. Romney also promises budget increases for the Pentagon, above those sought by some GOP defense hawks, meaning that the rest of the government would have to shrink even more."

Good grief -- this is heartless. The GOP agenda seeks bigger tax giveaways to the rich, plus more war-making power, while hurting ordinary American families. At the same time, Republicans in Congress are trying to block a routine extension of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which protects American women from beatings, rapes, stalking and the like.