Bush To Set Budget Battle Lines (Monday plan to end deficit by 2012 draws Dems’ fire)

Investor's Business Daily | 5 February 2007 | JED GRAHAM

[shrinkermd]

...But the budget President Bush will send to Capitol Hill on Monday will have a sharper edge than usual. More than an ideological blueprint, it will be a drawing of battle lines.

...The Democratic takeover of Congress, the approaching expiration of the Bush tax cuts and a new consensus that the budget should be balanced by 2012 all point to a coming showdown over fiscal policy.

The White House has promised that it will lay out a realistic path to a balanced budget that doesn’t require an increase in tax rates. But Democrats aren’t buying it.

“It is a little hard to see how there could be a meeting of the minds,” Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., told reporters.

"It is very clear to me there needs to be more revenue. I don’t know how anyone could reach any other conclusion. We can’t pay our bills now. That’s before the baby boom generation has retired.”

[shrinkermd]

Not to worry. Entitlements (Soc Sec, Medicare, Medicaid) in 2007 are 44.3% of budget but in 2012 they are 49.5% of the budget. Soon enough Congress can just stay at home during budget times since entitlements will take every last cent. NOT? sarc

[A.A. Cunningham]

http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=16&issue=20070202

[Wiseghy]

Just got back from DC. All Dem. staffers are despairing because they know there's no money. Everyone's waiting it out 'till 08, when they can get a President that will approve sweeping new "revenues" (taxes), and cut military spending.

In the meantime, they will nibble around the edges of problems and try to show limited progress on issues. They need to play the moderates, for now. All the liberal chatter is mostly just for show.