Bush, Democrats Seek `Very Big Fight' With Each Other on Budget

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By Brendan Murray and Brian Faler

July 9 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush and congressional Democrats are headed for their first showdown over the federal budget. For both sides, more than money is at stake.

Bush, who only vetoed one piece of legislation passed by the Republican Congress in his first six years in office, is now threatening to reject almost every spending bill sent to him by the Democratic-controlled Congress unless lawmakers abandon plans to spend $23 billion more than he requested.

While the amount involved is less than 1 percent of the $2.9 trillion federal budget, the political stakes are greater. A little more than 16 months before the 2008 elections, Democrats and Republicans alike figure a fight may be in their interests.

--
Bush and the Republicans, stung by criticism that they presided over a surge in government spending, are looking to rehabilitate themselves among core supporters by holding the line on the budget. Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to show they can deliver on promises to shore up education, health care and a host of other initiatives.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aLzu3Qp8KyRE&refer=us

[trogdor]

1. OK

Then send him a Defense budget that's $23 billion short. Surely DoD can find $23 billion somewhere.

[Bitwit1234]

2. For someone who has run up a 8 trillion

dollar deficit he should shut the hell up about the democrats tax and spend.

[badgerpup]

3. Off to the Greatest wi' ye!

Bush is also whining about tax increases...
What they're NOT telling you is that these some of these 'increases' are the result of tax cuts for the wealthy expiring and the Democrats not making them permanent.

"Democrats are failing in their responsibility to make tough decisions and spend the people's money wisely," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

With the Senate and House now in Democratic hands, this year's bills are producing skirmishes with the White House that also are causing delays. Almost every domestic bill already has attracted a veto threat because it exceeds Bush's proposed budget in certain areas.
All told, Democrats plan spending increases for annual agency budgets of about $23 billion above the White House budget request. Bush put it in terms of a five-year outlook, and said their budget plan would be $205 billion bigger than his over that period, and would include "the largest tax increase in history" by allowing some of his tax cuts to expire as planned.
"Democratic leaders in Congress want to take our country down a different track," he said.


Damn straight, they '...want to take us down a different track'...:grr:

[young_at_heart]

4. Bush's chutzpah is just amazing!

With the billions he has wasted in Iraq he ought to show a little humility, don't you think?

[rodeodance]

8. BINGO;

[Cant trust em]

5. I've got a great idea!

How about we end these emergency supplementals for the Iraq war that as of March 31 that have cost $378,000,000,000 (http://costofwar.com/numbers.html). Wow. When you type it out like that it looks like a lot more.

This has so many political benefits to it. Dems can say that they are ending the already unpopular war and are the ones who have shown the leadership to get the budget under control. Who're the reckless spenders now?

[Mnpaul]

6. I have said that before

Make Bush put the war in the budget. Make him fund the war. There should be no need for "emergency" funding five yrs into the war

[Theduckno2]

7. Especially seeing that he expects to maintain an enduring presence.

Welcome to the DU. :hi: