Charles W. Stenholm: “just a few days ago the President stood in where the Clerk of the House stands and told the Nation that we will not pass…”

“just a few days ago the President stood in where the Clerk of the House stands and told the Nation that we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses, other Presidents and other generations. I stood and applauded that statement because I agree with my President. I agree with my commander in chief. Then I was somewhat disappointed, considerably disappointed, when the administration's budget came through projecting a $307 billion deficit for next year and deficits as far as the eye can see. The President's budget protects cumulative deficits of over $2.1 trillion from 2002 through 2011. That is a $7.7 trillion deterioration of our fiscal matters of this country in 2 years. The Blue Dogs stood on this floor and opposed the economic game plan that we are now under. We were not prophetic. We agreed with the majority party on the spending, but we were not even allowed to have our budget on the floor, and we have heard nothing but rhetoric ever since. But now the results of the economic game plan are coming in, and I want everyone to understand, 60 percent of the deterioration has occurred because of 9-11-01 and the military homeland defense needs of this country and the recession. But 40 percent of that deterioration has occurred because of the economic game plan that we are now under. I personally happen to agree with the President's leadership regarding solving the Social Security problem while we still had a chance.”