My friends at the libertarian Independent Institute (the nemesis of big government conservative sellouts everywhere) have released an interesting tidbit on the spend-like-there's-no-tomorrow cabal running the current Administration. The report is available here. An excerpt:
Since 2001, even with record low inflation, U.S. federal spending has increased by a massive 28.8% (19.7% in real dollars) 'with non-defense discretionary growth of 35.7% (25.3% in real dollars)' the highest rate of federal government growth since the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson. This increase has resulted in the largest budget deficits in U.S. history, over $520 billion in fiscal year 2004 alone. Furthermore, the projected spending for 2005 is a conservative estimate, since it doesn't include at least $50 billion for the 2005 cost of the Iraq occupation.
Question: What is the difference between a spendaholic Democrat and today's so-called compassionate conservative Republican?
Answer: Their choice of mascot.