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Budget: The moaning in Washington about deficits seems to indicate there's a real concern about fiscal responsibility. Don't take it seriously.
The storm began after Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels said he expects the federal government will run deficits at least through 2005. Daniels rightly blamed them on the recession and the war on terrorism.
Washington's free spenders couldn't let Daniels get away with the truth, though. They had to fault President Bush's tax cut.
"I'd love to be able to say, "I told you so,' " crowed Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Senate Budget Committee chairman, was a little less cryptic. He grumbled that Daniels "left out the biggest cause -- the tax cut this administration pushed and got passed."
Their comments make nice sound bites. But the truth is the tax cut will have little effect on the next few fiscal years. Taxpayers will get a mere $37.8 billion in relief in the current fiscal year, less than 2% of projected revenue; they'll get only a bit more than a third ...