SwiftVets.com

[Saint]

Bipartisan Criticism Increases Regarding Bush's Spending Spree, Handling of Iraq
The Washington Post reports that President Bush's request for $87 billion in additional spending for Iraq and Afghanistan stirred concern that Bush has launched an unaffordable spending spree even as he pursues more tax cuts that will increase the federal deficit. "From the president's speech, I haven't seen the hard recognition of the economic costs of this decision. I don't think he gave us a picture of how he intends to pay for his foreign policy," said Lee Hamilton, director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and former Democratic member of the House. According to The New York Times, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) called the $87 billion "a bitter pill for the American people to swallow," since some of the money is likely to be subtracted from spending on domestic needs. Furthermore, for months, many Democrats and some Republicans have complained that the Administration has offered few details about how it will rebuild Iraq, how much international support can be expected, how much American taxpayers will have to pay over the years and how long U.S. troops will be based there. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) complained that the administration had done "a miserable job of planning the post-Saddam Iraq." Putting $87 billion in perspective: Bush has asked to spend more additional money in Iraq and Afghanistan than the $78 billion all 50 states together say they to finance the budget shortfalls they anticipate for 2004. Bush's request is nearly three times higher than the $29.5 billion the Education Department plans to spend on elementary and secondary education and more than twice as much as the $41.3 billion the Administration plans to spend on homeland security.
Sources: Washington Post, "Democrats Say Iraq Spending With Tax Cut Is Unaffordable," Sept. 9, 2003; New York Times, "Bush's Plans on Iraq Draw Criticism From Senators," Sept. 9, 2003.

[waltjones]

Kerry = liar, slanderer, no honor.

That's what this is about. End of story.
_________________
Walt Jones (USMC, '65 - '69) It says much about the person who defends a man with no honor.