The White House predicted yesterday that President Bush would leave a record $482 billion deficit to his successor, a sobering turnabout in the nation’s fiscal condition from 2001, when Bush took office after three consecutive years of budget surpluses.

The worst may be yet to come. The deficit announced by Jim Nussle, the White House budget director, does not reflect the full cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the potential $50 billion cost of another economic stimulus package, or the possibility of steeper losses in tax revenues if individual income or corporate profits decline.

The new deficit numbers also do not account for any drains on the national treasury that might result from further declines in the housing market.

What they forgot to include is that it does not include the funds for the wars of aggression or the wars of revenge or the wars of……..whatever you want to call them.  This deficit figure does not include the latest forclosure bill that the Prez has said he will sign.

This is just the WH trying to manipulate the figures to make the deficit look better than it really is.  Keep in mind that when there is a deficit and the WH wants to try and balance budget the funds with entitlements are the first to be hit.  That includes Social Security, education, and healthcare, if there is any progress there.  In other words, to balance a budget, programs designed to assist the American people will be hit.  The people will suffer while NOTHING is asked of corporate America.  Something to think about.