Texas Congressman Rips Republicans for Deficit

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=716&e=4&u=/ap/20030809/ap_on_go_co/democrats_economy

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) and congressional Republicans continue to increase budget deficits while jobs disappear, Rep. Charlie Stenholm, D-Texas, said Saturday.

"When you find yourself in a hole, the first rule is to quit digging," he said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. "Yet the Republican leadership in Washington continues to advocate policies that would put us further in the red."

The administration recently projected deficits of more than $450 billion this year and $475 billion next year — numbers that don't even factor in money borrowed from Social Security (news - web sites) and other trust funds, Stenholm said.

"Budget deficits place a drag on the economy and our living standards now and in the future," Stenholm said. "Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Chairman Alan Greenspan (news - web sites) has repeatedly warned that deficits undercut the ability of the economy to grow in a way that reduces unemployment and increases the wages of American workers."

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[diplomats]

1. Did Stenholm vote for the tax cuts?

If so, he's culpable, too.

[swinney]

2. Rep Frost and Stenholm speaketh truths

These are experts on budgets. Experts. When they write or speak swinney listens--closely.

They have evaluated many budgets with intelligence.

I have never found them BS ing me even when they attacked Clinton budgets.

[diplomats]

3. I like Rep. Martin Frost

and I do think Stenholm voted for Clinton's 1993 budget which helped bring down the deficit.