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Washington may be virtually empty, but like a washing machine stuck in the "on" position, the spin cycle goes on and on. Based on the assumption that not everybody is brain-dead and zonked on Jagerbombs at the beach, the budget wonk machinery shifted into high-gear this week, as the Congressional Budget Office released its August budget update.

And following up on its fogging of the Office and Management and Budget update, the budgeters once again left those paying attention scratching their heads and wondering if the glass is half-full, half-empty or shattered. This much cannot be disputed: CBO says the fiscal 2005 deficit likely will be $331 billion, down from $365 billion in March. Just last month, OMB said the deficit would fall to $333 billion.

"Budget Report Confirms Dramatic Deficit Drop," screamed the press release from House Budget Chairman Jim Nussle, R-Iowa. (Nussle was good enough to e-mail the release. Reporters no longer have to seek the spin; technology sends it right to our desks, leaving our IT people to complain that our e-mail accounts have exceeded their limit.) "Today's news is further confirmation that our policies to create jobs and control spending are working," Nussle said. "The strong economy, higher revenues and falling deficit projections are all results of the successful leadership and policies of the Congress and President."

Reading from the same hymnal, Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., opined, "In my view, today's revised outlook from the [CBO] is further evidence that the pro-growth economic policies put in place by Congress and the president are working to strengthen the economy and lower the deficit."

Yahoo! Everything's great. The two budget chairmen agree that everything's rosy -- the exact same position they took when OMB released its figures.

Not so fast. The news is lousy, the Democrats say. The $331 deficit is still "huge" according to House Budget ranking Democrat John Spratt, D-S.C. In fact, if the CBO is correct, it ranks third in the Guinness Book of Records listing of U.S. budget deficits. Spratt pointed out that the deficit is "far worse" than the projections made in January 2001, when President Bush took office. Senate Budget ranking Democrat Kent Conrad, D-N.D., called the deficit picture "deeply troubling."

Republicans who want to paint themselves budget fighters likely found the CBO report a welcome distraction from the claims that they're not the hawks they claim to be, but indeed are pigs. Conservatives point to the huge transportation bill as evidence that Republicans like to spend, just like the Democrats do. "The bill is two years overdue, billions of dollars higher than the president wanted and loaded with the kind of legislative projects that congressmen love to bring home to constituents at the expense of American taxpayers," Veronique de Rugy of the American Enterprise Institute wrote. "Sadly, like a weak parent giving in to a child's temper tantrum, the president gave up what was left of his credibility as a fiscal conservative and signed the bill."

Wait a minute. She's got it all wrong, at least according to folks on Capitol Hill who argue that the highway bill is the greatest thing since... well, the last highway bill. Unlike the budget spinners, this time House Transportation Committee leaders are spinning in the same direction. "This legislation will strengthen this country's ability to move people and freight," House Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, said in a statement when the bill's conference report went to the House floor. All true, said Committee ranking Democrat James Oberstar, D-Minn. On top of all that, he said in a statement earlier this month, the bill provides funding for thousands of jobs for construction workers. State officials "must move projects from the pipeline to bid, and the laid-off construction workers can be put back to work in time for Thanksgiving."

Of course, things like the transportation bill and the budget debate create their own jobs -- for spinners, analysts and budgeters. And yeah, for the folks who write about it all.

COMMENTS

• Say one thing and cover up the truth. These spender Republicans have never told the truth in the last 10 years. They spend more than Democrats do and that is saying something. I am so glad I left the republican party. They were making all of the honest conservatives look bad. They are Democrats in sheep’s clothing. To be fair, the NeoCons pretend to be conservative but they are not. They are war mongers and corporate allies. I am not fooled but many people are. Maybe one day a smell of truth will hit the honest voter and things will change. GovExec.com reader Posted August 22, 2005 7:29 AM
• I found the article to be confusing and misdirected on the issue of the transportation bill, why is it we grant money to improve roads, when in fact we should be funding a better way to remove vehicles from the roads and return to mass transit systems. Better yet why not fund a vehicle manufacturer to make vehicles that run on nothing but waste products emanating from our congressional hill, god knows we would never run short then. Blueeagle Posted August 22, 2005 11:22 PM
• This new highway bill will create new jobs and fix our highways, along with building new ones. Who's gonna drive on them? CBILGO Posted August 22, 2005 8:26 AM