Democrats chide Bush on deficit

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Top Democrats yesterday attacked the Bush administration over the budget deficit and an intelligence leak as the first full week of the short, election-year Congress began.

"I think it's abundantly clear now that this administration is the most fiscally irresponsible we've had in our nation's history," said Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, noting the "landmark" projection this week by the Congressional Budget office that there will be a $477 billion deficit this year.

"And what's even more troubling is that deficit will double if the tax cuts proposed by this administration and enacted by Congress on a temporary basis are made permanent," the South Dakota Democrat added.

House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, said he hopes the Republicans' lack of concern over the burgeoning debt becomes a campaign issue.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texas Republican, shot back that those who criticize federal spending "don't even mention the fact that we're at war," and that increased defense and homeland security spending are necessary to win the war on terror. Mr. DeLay also said the president's tax cuts actually have increased federal revenues.

"If we had not cut taxes, we would have less money than we have today," he said.

Later yesterday, President Bush stressed areas of common interest between the parties as he met with Mr. DeLay, Mr. Daschle, and the rest of House and Senate bipartisan leadership to discuss the coming year.

"This is an election year. It's the year where people say nothing can get done. We need to prove them wrong," Mr. Bush said, citing "common interests" of fighting terrorism and creating jobs.

DeLay spokesman Stuart Roy said the Democrats' criticism is "more about using their legislative position to fight the [presidential] campaign than to govern." Mr. Roy said federal spending will indeed be a campaign issue this year, and Republicans "win on that" because spending increases were necessary to fight the war on terror, and Democrats just want to raise taxes.