Fiscal Conservatives

I say this gets an up-or-down vote without earmarks and freedom to choose:

President Bush on Monday sent Congress a $3.11 trillion budget request that sees a worsening deficit over the next two years but projects a balanced federal budget by 2012.

The budget request seeks a 6% rise in total government spending for fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1. The deficit would total $407 billion.

The White House expects the government to end the current fiscal year with a deficit of $410 billion. This is a sharp increase from a deficit of $162 billion last year.

Nothing like going out in style.

I Can Hardly Wait

The White House Wednesday is expected to project a U.S. budget deficit for this year of just over $200 billion, down from prior estimates because of strong tax receipts, Republican sources said.

A deficit for fiscal 2007 in that range would mark a decline from the $248 billion gap recorded last year. The fresh estimate will be unveiled at 1 p.m. ET in the administration's "midsession review" of the budget.

Because Republicans are good at managing your money. I truly no longer believe anything this administration says. If there is a decline, it is because Bush has cut essential spending on education and healthcare. He is also probably using Enron-style accounting and excluding several new things that would otherwise increase the deficit. Like the Iraq War, which is funded off the books through special appropriations bills.