...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Wednesday, July 28, 2004
      ( 6:22 AM )
 
And in the News...

Two items of interest for me in the news today:

1. The new federal deficit is set to be announced at the end of the week (they're waiting till after the convention so Kerry can't use it against Bush) - and it's expected to be the biggest. deficit. ever. Well, not ever -- Reagan still holds that honor. But this is a record-breaker.

The White House will project soon that this year's federal deficit will exceed $420 billion, congressional aides said, a record figure certain to ignite partisan warfare over President Bush's handling of the economy.

But it's not all bad! It's below what Bush predicted! That MUST mean the economy is doing GREAT!!

Either way, the White House was ready to emphasize that the figure is well below the $521 billion it projected for this year last February, and tie it to improvements in the economy.

"It is hard to disregard the strong progress made on the economy and our fiscal situation," Kolton said Tuesday. [he said, as his nose grew 12 inches]

Democrats have said Bush purposely overestimated this year's budget gap so he could take credit for improvement when the real figures came in.

"The new estimate ... will set a new record of fiscal mismanagement and deficit spending," said Kerry economic adviser Gene Sperling.

The White House insists this rising deficit is nothing to worry about -- it's only 4 percent of the economy, well below Reagan's 6 percent. Well, whew. I feel better.

2. Here's another reason to feel better!! Florida has managed to lose all the electronic voting records from the 2002 election! Surprised? Shocked? I know, I can hardly believe it myself.

Almost all the electronic records from the first widespread use of touch-screen voting in Miami-Dade County have been lost, stoking concerns that the machines are unreliable as the presidential election draws near.

The records disappeared after two computer system crashes last year, county elections officials said, leaving no audit trail for the 2002 gubernatorial primary. A citizens group uncovered the loss this month after requesting all audit data from that election.

Evidently, they hadn't thought to back up their records. But they've got the problem patched - they now back up the system and oh, they're trying to make sure the batteries don't run out too. That's a relief. For a mintue there, I thought the voting in Florida might be corrupted.

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