[reformedliberal]

What can I tell the kid? I can tell him that there's a war on terror, but that $500 billion isn't just the war on terrorism and the kid knows it.

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Tell him that we have a Congress and specifically the House, whose job it is to dispose of the proposals made by the POTUS in a budget. Point out that Tom DeLay and a coalition of House conservatives is slashing this budget to the bone. It will be a huge fight and there is no way he can miss it.

Point out that we are winning in Iraq and Afghanistan because GWB will not quit and run, & therefore the supplemental for the military appropriations will be much lower than projected.

DeLay's team has a goal of cutting the deficit to zero in 5 years. I don't know if that can be done. W wants to cut it in half in 5 years. I don't know if that can be done. But the only way we have a chance is to elect conservatives and have a President in office who will sign/veto in favor of less spending. W has promised to veto any increase. Daschle wants to add 18.4% to the gas tax to distribute more tax monies to the States via the Highway Bill.

We got here via liberal incrementalism. We get out of it via conservative incrementalism.

Bush's Medicare and Social Security reforms will privatize these for the younger ones. That will end them as a weapon of choice for the liberals.

And I am glad you will vote for Bush. I don't think you will regret it, but it will be contentious nailbiter of a 2nd term, IMO.

[goodnesswins]

THANK YOU for your very cogent response. I esp. liked the "conservative incrementalism."

[reformed_democrat]

Great response. I'm going to copy-and-paste it to my desktop so I can steal appropriate parts of it as needed.

I promise to give you credit.

[ClancyJ]

Well put!!!! I agree.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the nice post. I pretty much agree with you.