President Bush has tried to hold the line across the board when it comes to this Congress trying to raise taxes on the American people or raise spending unnecessarily," she said. "He has not been afraid to veto bills."
Perino added that defense and security costs since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States have placed enormous financial burdens on the country, but that those expenditures are vital and appropriate.
When President Bush entered office, the United States enjoyed a fiscal surplus of $128 billion. The president's critics note that Mr. Bush is the first president in U.S. history to cut taxes during a time of war.
House Budget Committee Chairman Democratic Representative John Spratt is quoted as deriding President Bush's "dismal legacy" in fiscal matters, converting record surpluses into record deficits.
The administration projects the United States will avert a recession, recording sluggish growth of 1.6 percent this year. The administration says it expects the deficit will fall sharply after 2009, keeping the country on-target for Mr. Bush's goal of a balanced budget by 2012.
http://qzone.qq.com/blog/331318486-1217290439
