Record White House Deficit Projection to Fuel Campaign Fight on Economy

[papau]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBPWCAFAXD.html

Record White House Deficit Projection to Fuel Campaign Fight on Economy
By Alan Fram
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House's projection of a record federal deficit that could approach $450 billion this year will further fuel a campaign-season dispute over President Bush's handling of the economy.
Bush's budget office planned to release its latest forecast Friday. Its magnitude, described by congressional aides speaking on condition of anonymity, will easily surpass last year's $375 billion, the largest ever in dollar terms.

Republicans said the number would underscore the economy's upturn because it shows improvement over early this year, when expectations were for an even larger shortfall. <snip>

Some congressional aides said the report might also project an increase in spending by Medicare, the government's $300 billion health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. That could further heighten concerns about the program's solvency, already in jeopardy over the next two decades with the impending retirement of the huge baby-boom generation. <snip>

[Beetwasher]

1. This Is So Unctiously Orwellian:

"Republicans said the number would underscore the economy's upturn because it shows improvement over early this year, when expectations were for an even larger shortfall."

Don't you remember, they told us it was going to be much worse, so we should be thankful it wasn't THAT bad! :eyes:

Oh! Thank You Big Brother! May I have another?!

[papau]

2. If only the GOP types would read a few books! Orwellian goes over

their heads!

:-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Summary from the GOP..this is good...we are less fucked

[Journeyman]

9. The same ploy is used with gas prices. . .

earlier this year, we were told gas would reach $3 before the start of summer. Now we're supposed to be happy it didn't crack $2.50.

"Whew, imagine how much worse life would be if gas had hit $3? I'm sure glad we have an 'oil man' in the Presidency, else everything would be shitpie."

[Bandit]

3. We Can Do So Much Better

Wake Up America!!!!!!!!

[ClintonTyree]

5. They can...............

try to spin this all they want, a record deficit is a record deficit. You can't put lipstick on this pig.

"We are meeting our national priorities and by showing spending restraint elsewhere in the budget we are on track to meet the president's commitment to cutting deficits in half" over the next five years, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters aboard Air Force One as Bush flew to campaign stops in the Midwest."


Showing spending restraint! How stupid do they think we are? I can't believe this shit! How can you cut a deficit in half by recording record deficits every year?

[FredScuttle]

8. I love *'s sudden committment to deficit reduction

Hey, you faux-cowboy dipshit! Didja notice when you illegally took office that there were no deficits?!!! Nice stewardship of the healthy economy you were handed by Clinton.

Anyone who still thinks the GOP is the responsible party on spending is smoking some serious crack.

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. Should I Dwell On This

Or will that make me "pessimistic" :eyes:

[leesa]

7. On my...this is funny. The Repubs are going to try to spin that they did

a good job because they could have put us into a forty foot hole in the ground but it was only 39 feet down.

[xchrom]

10. repukes ruin everything they touch

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. They've got an odd Midas touch.

Everything they touch turns to shit.

[teryang]

11. 600 billion plus deficit equals...

...defense budget. Difference between reported deficit and actual deficit equals moneys taken from social security revenues. Those revenues are converted to the use of profiteering defense contractors in the wars conducted for the benefit of belligerent and colonial energy company elites.

[Cocoa]

12. here's Bush, two weeks ago

http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/local_16912415.shtml

We're going to continue to bring fiscal discipline to Washington, D.C. See, it starts with understanding that we're not spending the government's money, we're spending your money. And we must be good stewards with your money in the Nation's Capital. (Applause.)

[truthisfreedom]

13. whoops! is it friday already? man, you can set the clock by these thugs

and their coverup friday press releases.

[Dudley_DUright]

14. Yup, the usual friday night data dump

If this news is so wonderful (better than expected), then why are they burying it on a weekend news cycle? :eyes:

[Crachet2004]

15. I just found out it is called, "Feeding the Beast"...

Just watched Bill Moyers on Link TV. I think he said it was Grover Norquist (some right-wing economist, I guess) who said, basically, they want to weaken the government with deficit spending to the point where it can be "drowned in the bathtub".

They want a world of the ultra rich and the rest of us as serfs. No government benefits or taxes-except on the poor. Governments only job will be to wage war.

If you think about it, almost all the existing federal debt was run up by the GOP, since Reagan. And most of that debt consists of financial resources that were pissed away, for not much discernible gain.

I thought they were just stupid. I didn't know it was a thirty year old plan to screw the American People.

But you know, how can someone be rich if there are no poor? Beyond a certain level of wealth, they would have everything they could possibly want...more wealth would be meaningless. The only way they can feel richer, is to make poverty worse.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. What's the Bush campaign theme?

Results matter.