Comments on: Political strokes http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sat, 26 May 2012 21:58:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: abb1 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/comment-page-1/#comment-142390 abb1 Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:53:57 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/#comment-142390 <i>There is little new or different he can do about Iraq or energy costs.</i> US president could do a lot of new/different things about Iraq and energy costs; although this may be technically true - there's little <i>he</i> can do. There is little new or different he can do about Iraq or energy costs.

US president could do a lot of new/different things about Iraq and energy costs; although this may be technically true – there’s little he can do.

]]> By: y81 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/comment-page-1/#comment-142355 y81 Thu, 02 Feb 2006 02:27:54 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/#comment-142355 "How small, of all that human hearts endure, That part which kings or laws can cause or cure." The last guy to face this problem went with V-chips and school uniforms, as I recall. “How small, of all that human hearts endure,
That part which kings or laws can cause or cure.”

The last guy to face this problem went with V-chips and school uniforms, as I recall.

]]> By: luci http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/comment-page-1/#comment-142319 luci Wed, 01 Feb 2006 21:24:49 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/#comment-142319 Every news article I can find on the budget goes with the approved Administration line that "unanticipated Katrina reconstruction costs led to the increase in the projected 2006 deficit." But, as far as I can tell, only $85 billion has been formally budgeted for Katrina, of which $62 billion appeared on the 2005 budget. (are separate, emergency spending bills to provide much of the funding, to keep it out of budget projections?). If true, that leaves $23 billion in the '06 budget deficit that's Katrina-related. Out of a deficit of ~$400 billion. Well, $23 billion isn't chump change, but it's 5% of the whole. Meanwhile, tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 reduced tax revenue about $225 billion a year. Every news article I can find on the budget goes with the approved Administration line that “unanticipated Katrina reconstruction costs led to the increase in the projected 2006 deficit.” But, as far as I can tell, only $85 billion has been formally budgeted for Katrina, of which $62 billion appeared on the 2005 budget. (are separate, emergency spending bills to provide much of the funding, to keep it out of budget projections?).

If true, that leaves $23 billion in the ‘06 budget deficit that’s Katrina-related. Out of a deficit of ~$400 billion. Well, $23 billion isn’t chump change, but it’s 5% of the whole. Meanwhile, tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 reduced tax revenue about $225 billion a year.

]]> By: John Quiggin http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/comment-page-1/#comment-142318 John Quiggin Wed, 01 Feb 2006 21:15:55 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/02/01/political-strokes/#comment-142318 Accurate enough, though the biggest problem is not the lid of the budget (expenditure) but the cracks in the bottom from unfunded tax cuts. Accurate enough, though the biggest problem is not the lid of the budget (expenditure) but the cracks in the bottom from unfunded tax cuts.

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