Keep deficit ownership clear

In response to the June 20 letter “Obama’s hand in disaster,” I was puzzled by the lack of logic and suspicious budget deficit numbers presented in the letter until I saw the name “Hannity” (i.e. Fox News) as the source.

To shift the blame for the 2009 fiscal year budget and resulting deficit from Bush to Obama (submitted and signed by Bush in 2008) by stating that Obama somehow agreed with it is ridiculous. It was the budget Obama was handed during his first year in office. Bush’s fiscal 2009 budget proposal was for $3.1 trillion that included proposed cuts to many social and environmental programs. That number didn’t include the total cost of two wars and the TARP bailout of $700 billion. Bush’s actual fiscal 2009 budget deficit was $1.4 trillion. I don’t believe that included the costs of the war.

Compare that to Obama’s (first year) fiscal 2010 budget deficit of $1.29 trillion that did include the cost of the two wars. And when are we going to finally accept the fact that the invasion of Iraq was not related to the 9/11 disaster?

Bob Pritchard

Spokane