Count me on Hankster's side on this - well, sort of. I think the facts are Bush DID spend like a drunken sailor. The facts are Obama has done so to date. Now as to the why. Bush spent like crazy to fund a completely dishonest and unnecessary war. Obama is spending like a drunken sailor on speed, in part to wrap up that unnecessary war, in part to stop the complete fiscal meltdown Bush left us with and in part because he likes to spend. Both were bad for us. Obama’s will be worse, IF he can’t put the brakes on. He’s talking about doing it but we all know ever voter has his or her pet projects they dont want cut. It’s going to be tough to bring the deficit down, especially with aging baby boomers wanting their Medicare and Social Security, Iraq and Afghan vets needing care and Vietnam vets aging and needing more care. But IMHO we MUST rein in the spending. I'm not optimistic.