March 12, 2007
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE SURPLUS?:
Federal deficit down sharply (MARTIN CRUTSINGER, 3/12/07, AP)
The deficit for the first five months of the budget year is down sharply from a year ago as the growth in government tax collections continues to outpace growth in spending.The Treasury Department reported that the deficit from October through February totaled $162.2 billion, down 25.5 percent from the same period last year.
It's easy enough to envision a scenario where their repeated losses on the hot button issues drive the Democratic base so insane that they insist on larding spending bills with poison pills and the President refuses to bite, leading to a couple years of continuing resolutions and a balanced budget or surplus by the time the next president is sworn in. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 12, 2007 3:23 PM
Comments
That would make it sort of like the situation in 1999 and 2000.
Posted by: Brandon at March 12, 2007 3:57 PMThe Dems will then just find a way to take credit for restoring the Clinton surplus that had been squandered by the younger Bush.
Posted by: Dave W at March 12, 2007 4:44 PMTo which I would say "WHAT Clinton surplus?" (I believe said surplus was projected off in the future and never actually realized)but I suspect most would respond to that question with perturbed silence.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at March 12, 2007 5:57 PM