[Blzbba]

Ah, what the heck. It's not like he's been dramatically over-spending domestically anyways. What's another few hundred billion?

[LowCountryJoe]

There's been lots of talk lately from unhappy conservatives who feel as though president Bush needs to be flaged, "Government Encrochment; on the offense; #43". Many say they might not even vote! If one were to think about it for a while one might even conclude that if there was a Democrat in the WH, the gridlock between congress and the executive branch would slow down spending and thus the growth of government. And how could this be a bad thing, right?

Wrong! The direction and vision of foreign policy is much too important for our national security. And if that's not an important enough of a reason to the conservative base, the power to appoint judges is something that cannot be left up to ANY Democrat! Even if you're thouroughly disgusted with Bush's "compasionate conservatism" agenda, you really have no choice but to cast your vote for him. The existence of our personal freedoms, quite literally depends, on it.

[familyofman]

No surprises here. When was the last time a budget, or cost estimate been even close?

They were only off by a little bit - cut them some slack.

[Puppage]

prescription drug program and Medicare overhaul will cost one-third more than previously estimated and will predict a deficit exceeding $500 billion for this year, congressional aides said Thursday.

And, can someone tell me what the rats utopian socialized medicine program would cost, hmm?

[dubyagee]

Ah, geez...where's it gonna end?

[Cagey]

[KantianBurke]

Instead of a $400 billion 10-year price tag, Bush's 2005 budget will estimate the Medicare bill's cost at about $540 billion, said aides who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Disgusting.

[Guillermo]

Amazing to see all these so-called "Conservatives" on this board defend every single Bush spending program.

Bush is the biggest spender in the history of the world.

[rintense]

Perhaps you should all check out this thread:

Bush got nearly everything he wanted

[RightWhale]

It is not easy to make sense of the numbers floating around. Is the cost of the Pill Bill plus Medicare increases--just the increases--to be $54 billion this year? If so, contrast NASA's increase of $200 million and the Arts increase of $20 million and the amount of commentary the smaller items are getting. Are we concerned in inverse proportion to the size of the expenditure?

[.38sw]

President Bush's new budget will project that the just-enacted prescription drug program and Medicare overhaul will cost one-third more than previously estimated

Golly, who could have predicted that a government program will cost more than originally estimated? That's never happened before! But hey, it's for the children! Oh, wait, it's not for the children...must be some vote buying in there somewhere.

[diamondjoe]

If you think this is bad, just wait until the Mars program actually gets going. NASA's inability to live within budget projections makes Medicare look like it is being run by Ebeneezer Scrooge.

[Pubbie]

You know what this sucks - but we still have no choice but to vote for Bush because National Security is too important to be left to the Democrats.

2008 is when Conservatives will have to move the party back to it's conservative roots - sitting out 2004 is not an option.

In 2008 we're going to have to nominate a real conservative like Mark Sanford or Bill Owens to clean up the mess Bush will leave us with.

[KQQL]

THE ERA OF BIG GOVT IS BACCCCCCCCCCCCCCK !

[OWK]

Woooo Hooo!!!

Pork for everybody.

[ambrose]

Bush is a Conservative Ping.

[KantianBurke]

"Grandma, why are you laughing? What do you mean that I better like to work for peanuts? Does that have to do with all those free pills you got?"

[apillar]

Well I suppose its better than "tax and spend" democrats, we've got "cut taxes and spend" republicans... I think the problem is both spending cuts and tax increases are politically unacceptable, so the politicians take the easy way out and give people what they want, large spending increases and tax cuts.

The problem with that is eventually your probably going to have to have "massive tax increases AND massive spending cuts" to keep the country from going under. Sadly enough I've come to the conclusion that all parties, the president, and democrats, and republicans in congress have decided to ignore the problem and hope they are out of office in 10 years or so when it comes back to roost.

[Reagan Man]

The cost for Bush`s original proposal for Medicare reform and prescription drug coverage for the elderly poor, was set at $158 billion over ten years. The legislation that Bush signed into law was for $400+ billion. As expected, the costs have sky rocketed to $540 billion over ten years. Before its all over, this largest increase in federal spending in 40 years, will probably cost in excess of one trillion dollars. That is fiscally irresponsible and both the GOP Congress and PresBush are to blame.

OTOH, just imagine what a Democrat president like John Kerry would have proposed. Can you say, national healthcare?

[LurkedLongEnough]

"Bush Budget Raises Cost of Medicare"

What hypocrites the liberal press are. I want to hear ~more~ complaining about "Bush's" spending. We can then compare notes on how spending increases are reported when Democrats endorse them. "For the chillen"