"Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!" wrote in message
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Date: Tues, Feb 14 2006 11:55 am
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It's what I said, big but not the biggest when viewed as a % of GDP.
As far as I'm concerned the ONLY ACCEPTABLE deficit is none, regardless of
the President or party.

A. I agree pork should be eliminated. I do not agree with giving the
President line-item veto powers though, as only opposition pork will
likely be eliminated. The mohair subsidy bothers me less than the
Energy Bill, which gave billions to highly profitable companies.

They all bother me.

B. You stated that the republicans were the only ones that ever brought
up deficits as an issue.

No, I said they were responsible for making it an issue long before the Dems
decided it was fashionable.

In the past 25 years, the record deficits have
been during republican administrations.

And what authority does the President have to spend money?
Spending bills originate in Congress which until recently was controlled
by...........

The *only* anomaly during this
time was during a Democratic administration.

Some could argue that this was a result of the republicans taking
control of both houses of Congress in 1994. This argument is not borne
out, however, as for the past 5-1/2 years the republicans have had not
only both houses, but the executive branch as well.

Let's face it: as far as deficits go, Clinton was the best President in
the past 25 (or more) years.


More Kool Aid?

I think the problem that conservatives had with Clinton was that he
spent more on social programs than the military or corporate welfare.

Clinton couldn't spend anything any more than any other President can, only
Congress can do that.

Of course Conservatives are going to be opposed to social programs, it's one
f the things in their favor. Corporate welfare is and always has been
bull**** no matter who is doing it. So far the government has spent
hundreds of billions on welfare with very little result in terms of ending
the cycle of welfare and putting people to work. Having been raised for a
while on welfare, I saw first hand how it dulls initiative. It should be
short term and in any case where one is able bodied, paid back. Make the
payments take as long and be as low as you like but it should be paid back.