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Look under the cumulative change in the last column. The reduction now pales in comparison to what he actually has increased since 2001.

The mandatory spending in each agency is small in some cases except for Labor and Treasury compared to the total budget. I got this from yahoo.

Agency: Department of Education (news - web sites)
Spending: $56 billion
Percentage change from 2005: -1 percent
Mandatory outlays: $7.4 billion
Total Spending: $63.4 billion

Agency: Department of Defense (news - web sites)
Spending: $419.3 billion
Percentage change from 2005: +4.5 percent
Mandatory Outlays: $1.9 billion
Total Spending: $421.2 billion

Agency: Department of Labor
Spending: $11.5 billion
Percentage Change from 2005: -4.4 percent
Mandatory Outlays: $40.5 billion
Total Spending: $52 billion

Agency: Department of the Treasury
Spending: $11.6 billion
Percentage Change from 2005: +3.9 percent
Mandatory Outlays: $41.3 billion
Total Spending: $52.9 billion

Agency: Department of Transportation
Spending: $57.5 billion
Percentage change from 2005: -1 percent
Mandatory outlays: $1.2 billion
Total spending: $58.7 billion

Interior and State have no mandatory outlays, all discretionary.

Look under the cumulative change in the last column. The reduction now pales in comparison to what he actually has increased since 2001.

With the exception of the DOE(unfortunately), since 2001 all discretionary increases above the level of inflation and population growth have been related to Homeland defense spending.

This isn't about Bush and the federal budget since 2001. As I've already stated, it's clearly understood that Bush has been a big government Republican in his first four years in office.

Until you're capable and willing to debate this issue in a rational and logical manner, your arguments are convoluted at best. I've qualified the parameters of my argument based on the facts of the issue. We are debating the proposals of PresBush's 2006 budget. In that context, his proposals to reduce non-military discreationary spending are the issue. Mandatory spending on entitlement programs and social spending consume roughly 66% of the entire budget. Looking for 50% reductions in discreationary spending is irrational.

BTW. By taking exception to the increases in defense spending, you show a serious misunderstanding of the Constitutional requirements of the US government. Defending the US people is the #1 priority of the federal government. You may not have meant to come across that way, but nonetheless, thats the impression you gave.

Agency: Department of the Treasury
Spending: $11.6 billion
Percentage Change from 2005: +3.9 percent
Mandatory Outlays: $41.3 billion
Total Spending: $52.9 billion

Hmmmmm... that obviously doesn't include the Interest Expense on the Outstanding National Debt.

That's on track for topping $400 Billion this year. I wonder where Dubya has it hidden.