The Budget Director Who Wouldn't Resigns

According to Brian Riedl, federal budget analyst at the Heritage Foundation, overall discretionary spending rose 13 percent in 2002 and will jump 21 percent in fiscal 2003, to $885 billion. Yes, the Pentagon accounts for a lot of that increase. But in Bush's first two budgets, according to Riedl, even non-defense discretionary spending has risen from $320 billion to $421 billion.

Daniels made a particular point of coming down hard on earmarks—the budgetary vehicles that members of Congress use to drive pork to their districts. But earmarks too have soared in the past two years. According to Riedl, in fiscal 2003 there were 9,000 earmarks worth $22 billion, up from 6,500 in 2001.

It is tempting to lay all the blame for the rapid return to deficits on the free-spending congressional Republicans who control the purse strings. But in Washington, it takes two branches to spend money. And Daniels was largely silent when the president signed off on huge new spending programs, whether it was for defense of the homeland or for the defense of the Republicans' rural base. (One of the largest single pieces of new spending enacted in 2002 was the new farm bill backed by the administration. Cost: $180 billion over 10 years.)