Contact: Bob Sturm, 703-396-6974; after 6 PM Eastern, Vi Shields or Bob Sturm; 703-906-6542, 703-307-8176
MANASSAS, Va., July 31 /Christian Newswire/ -- Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, issued the following statement regarding the projected federal budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2009:
"My July 29 news release, Bush White House Hides True Scope of Federal Deficit, had a serious error that I must correct.
"The real budget deficit, which I accused the Bush White House of understating by $307 Billion, is even worse than I said!
"President Bush's team left out of their 2009 budget shortfall projection the additional $36.6 Billion from the Housing Boondoggle, er, Bill, which was passed just last weekend.
"This reminds us all, Congress is still in session, so the budget deficit could still increase and taxpayers' wallets may be picked even more.
"Here are the numbers:
"Bush's 2009 budget projection: $482 Billion Deficit
"My July 29 correction of Bush's budget: $789 Billion ($80 Billion war cost + $227 Billion borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund)
"My July 31 correction: $825 Billion ($36 Billion Housing Bill)
"Therefore, the actual deficit is about 73% greater than Bush's very misleading number.
"Americans feel that politicians regularly lie and mislead them. However, it's sad and dangerous for the country when the President of the United States starts acting like another politician - parsing, dissembling, misleading - even lying.
"President Bush owes the American people an apology for deliberately giving them wrong deficit numbers.
"With most of our country's major institutions facing major scandals and loss of respect by Americans--9% approve of Congress--President Bush should set an example and tell us the truth regardless of how it reflects on his Administration."
Richard Viguerie's July 29 statement is online at
http://ultimatejohnmccain.com/blog_post/show/51
NOTE TO EDITORS: Richard A. Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The Nation magazine) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (The Washington Times). His latest book is Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big-Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause (Bonus Books).
