AP: Gov't Budget Surplus Hits $21B for Jan.

[stopbush]

Gov't Budget Surplus Hits $21B for Jan.
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer 12 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The federal government ran a $21 billion budget surplus last month, the best January showing in four years, as both spending and tax receipts set records for the month.

The Treasury Department said the government spent $209 billion last month, a record amount for January and up 7.9 percent from January 2005. Government tax receipts, however, also set a record for the month of $230 billion, up 13.7 percent from January 2005.

The faster growth in receipts than in spending pushed the suplus for the month to $21 billion, more than double the $8.6 billion surplus the government recorded in January 2005. It was the biggest January surplus since $43.7 billion in 2002.


This will be trolloped out as proof that *'s tax cuts are working...but what do you get when you subtract a monthly surplus from a yearly deficit? Do the math.

[liberal N proud]

1. One month does not constitute success.

[MADem]

2. Hmmm, you can run a surplus when you don't pay your bills or buy

needed supplies...like, say, rehabilitative services for the wounded (get America to pay for it with private donations!!!) or body armor (funerals are cheaper than rehab, anyway!).

We'd be running a helluva surplus if we weren't running a foolish war for oil....

[Fridays Child]

3. Bush: Let's see. If I divide $21 billion by my 100 closest friends...

...no wait...I gotta add myself in there. Okay, dividing $21 billion by 101, will give each of us...uh.... Dang! I need more fingers to do this!

[bigscott]

5. excuse me -

but wait until march/april when tax refunds begin to be sent out - i got mine this morning - 5000. month to month variation is the norm - tax receipts peak at the end of a quarter when estimated tax payments are due to the government

[Fridays Child]

7. Unka Dick! This bigscott person is trying to steal my surplus!

Put him on a no-fly list! Wiretap him! Unka Dick! Help!

[BrotherBuzz]

4. Is Iraq spending included in the budget?

I just saying.

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. More fuzzy math from bu$hco,INC.? nt

[corporate_mike]

8. just in time to pass more tax cuts