Bush budget has GOP on edge

[reprehensor]

The $520 billion projected deficit arriving Monday with the release of President Bush's election-year budget is drawing rising Republican discontent and threatening to stifle Bush's domestic agenda and tarnish the glow of increasingly positive economic news.

Rapidly increased spending during Bush's term -- on the war in Iraq, homeland security and a new Medicare prescription drug benefit -- has combined with the previous economic slowdown and tax cuts to create an ocean of red ink.

The new deficit projection is one-quarter higher than last year's record $375 billion and is fast closing in on the all-time high as a share of the economy, set in 1986 when the federal budget deficit was 4.8 percent of the nation's gross domestic product.

In Bush's three years in office, total discretionary spending (not counting automatic entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security) has risen an average of 10.5 percent, as opposed to 3.4 percent under President Bill Clinton in the years after Republicans took control of the House in 1994 and clamped down on spending.

More at link.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2004%2F01%2F31%2FMNGTG4MBG91.DTL

[Hokie]

1. The tinyurl link didn't work

I gave up on tinyurl. Their links were the "weak". :)

[reprehensor]

2. Sorry!

That's the first time I've had trouble with Tiny. And now, the last time.

[lovedems]

3. What irks me the most

Is when the administration uses the "we are at war" to defend the deficit. I always want to scream, "we dont have to be!!!!!" The Iraq war was done out of desire, not necessity. Afghanistan, OK, I will give them that one but we have spent a hell of alot more on Iraq and we didn't have to.

[Hokie]

4. Thanks. That link works.

I had trouble with tinyurl once before. It is a good idea but not if the links do not work.

Sounds like the fiscally conservative re-pukes are getting it shoved up the butt by Bush. Just as they deserve.