Reply #43: Thanks for Proving my Point!

[ulTRAX]

Quoting Kerry mbali wrote: "You should pay more attention to the campaign before you bitch about it"

"He has promised to halve the federal deficit - now estimated at a record $422 billion for this year - while rolling back tax cuts passed during the Bush administration for people making $200,000 or more."

That's the WRONG figure for the true Bush deficit. CBO estimate it at 574 BILLION and OMB at 600 BILLION. Kerry's giving Bush credit for 153 BILLION being borrowed from SS and treating it as regular revenue. The REAL deficit is on the "on-budget" side. And let's not forget that Clinton had a true ON-budget surplus of 87 Billion in FY00. So, Einstein, it's now time for YOU to paid attention.

If you download a copy of the CBO's "SEPTEMBER 2004 The Budget
and Economic Outlook: An Update" at www.cbo.gov

Scroll down to Table 1.2 CBO’s Baseline Budget Projections

Unified Deficit = 422 BILLION (number reported in news this month)
Off-budget surplus = +153 BILLION
On-budget deficit = -574 BILLION

OMB also has a newer estimate dated 7-30-04: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/05msr.pdf'
This provides the White House's 455 Billion deficit figure. You'll have to scroll down to Table 14. BUDGET SUMMARY BY CATEGORY where you'll see the real off-budget deficit is 600 BILLION.... with 155 Billion in off-budget surpluses being borrowed give that dishonest 455 Billion deficit figure that Bush was using in August.

Anytime you wish to retract your insults... feel free. But I won't be holding my breath.