god DAMN it

So basically, Republicans can't be trusted to shrink the government, and I *KNOW* that Democrats won't shrink the government.

We're all totally fucked.

"Confounding President Bush's pledges to rein in government growth, federal discretionary spending expanded by 12.5 percent in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, capping a two-year bulge that saw the government grow by more than 27 percent, according to preliminary spending figures from congressional budget panels...
The federal government spent nearly $826 billion in fiscal 2003, an increase of $91.5 billion over 2002, said G. William Hoagland, a senior budget and economic aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Military spending shot up nearly 17 percent, to $407.3 billion, but nonmilitary discretionary spending also far outpaced Bush's limit, rising 8.7 percent, to $418.6 billion.

Much of the increase was driven by war in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as homeland security spending after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But spending has risen on domestic programs such as transportation and agriculture, as well. Total federal spending -- including non-discretionary entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- reached $2.16 trillion in 2003, a 7.3 percent boost, according to the Congressional Budget Office. "

From here.

And it's not even just war. Most people think it's just because of war and Homeland Security. But non-military spending is up 8.7 percent, and all of our entitlement programs are growing at 7.3 percent... This is such horseshit to grow our social programs faster than we grow our own economy. It's absurd. Prepare yourself for higher taxes, on our slow creep toward socialism.