Republican National Committee: Kerry Called on to Explain Magic Math

4/7/2004

From: Christine Iverson of the Republican National Committee, 202-863-8614; Web: http://www.gop.com

WASHINGTON, April 7 -- When asked questions yesterday about his economic plan and spending proposals, "Mr. Kerry shot back, 'Do you trust the Bush administration's math?' He supplied his own answer: 'I think it's fuzzy math, as usual, and they're not telling the truth.'" (New York Times, Kerry Cites Growing Deficit In Scaling Back Proposals, Katharine Q. Seelye and Neil A. Lewis, Wednesday, April 7, 2004)

Republican National Committee Communications Director Jim Dyke today said, "Senator Kerry's math is not fuzzy. It's magic. He proposes $1.91 trillion in new spending but only $658 billion in tax increases to pay for it. We wait patiently to see what he pulls out of his hat to explain this massive discrepancy."

Click here to see the Updated Spendometer to help with Senator Kerry's Magic Math: http://www.gop.com/bigspender/

Updated Spending: $1.91 trillion dollars

Tax Increases: $658 billion dollars

Updated Tax Gap: $1.25 trillion dollars

And so no one is fuzzy about where these numbers come from, be sure to review the THIRD party estimates of Senator Kerry's spending listed below:

Cost of Campaign Promises

Campaign Proposals: Estimate, $1,910,859,050,000

-- Near-Universal Health Care Coverage, $895 Billion

-- Mandatory Funding For Veterans Health Care, $211 Billion

-- Allow Medicaid To Pay For More Alternative Care Outside Of Nursing Homes, $200 Billion

-- Real Deal For Education, $200 Billion

-- Temporarily Increase Number Of Active-Duty Troops By 40,000, $80 Billion

-- Fully Fund Head Start, $58 Billion

-- Aid To States, $50 Billion

-- National Service Plan, $35 Billion

-- Allow Full Concurrent Receipt To Disabled Veterans, $24.844 Billion

-- Increase Spending For Homeland Security, $20 Billion

-- Create An Energy Trust, $20 Billion

-- Extend Unemployment Benefits, $17.538 Billion

-- Increase Federal Pell Grant Funding, $16 Billion

-- Spend $15 Billion More Than President Bush By 2008 For International AIDS Programs

-- Increase Funding For Child Development Block Grant, $11 Billion

-- Give Funding To Auto Industry For Energy-Efficient Vehicles, $10 Billion

-- Build High-Speed Rail, $7.9 Billion

-- Fund Urban Park And Recreation Recovery Program, $7.25 Billion

-- aa Increase NASA Research Funding, $5.654 Billion

-- aa Increase Department Of Energy Research Funding, $4.446 Billion

-- aa Expand Job Training, Education, And Service Programs, $3.85 Billion

-- Double Funding For GEAR UP, $2.98 Billion

-- aa Increase Funding For Research On Microbicides And Other Technologies Women Can Use To Reduce Risk Of HIV Infection, $2.2125 Billion

-- aa Increase National Science Foundation Research Funding, $2.126 Billion

-- bb Restore And Double Funding For Manufacturing Extension Partnership, $1.83 Billion

-- Extend Amount Of Time Military Families Can Stay In Housing After Family Member Killed-In-Action, Make Family Separation Allowance Permanent, Increase Death Gratuity, $1.5 Billion

-- a Increase Funding For Indian Health Service, $1.4835 Billion

-- Increase Funding For Superfund, $1.38 Billion

-- aa Increase Funding For Drug Treatment Programs, $1.319 Billion

-- Ensure Conservation Reserve Program Has Adequate Funding, $774 Million

-- Pass The American Dream Act, $726 Million

-- aa Provide New Funding For Faith-Based Charities, $550 Million

-- aa Expand Funding For TRIO Program, $416.5 Million

-- Expand Family And Medical Leave Act, $400 Million

-- Restore Benefits To Legal Immigrants, $350 Million

-- Extend Hate Crimes Legislation, $110 Million

-- Provide Adequate Funding For Endangered Species Act, $64.7 Million

-- Increase To $10 Million Funding For Project ACTION, $70 Million

-- Enact Employment Non-Discrimination Act, $22 Million

-- Pass Native American Small Business Development Act, Creating Office Of Small Business Affairs And New Grant Program At SBA, $20 Million

-- Increase Minimum Wage, $16 Million

-- Ensure Equal Pay For Women, $12 Million

-- aa Increase Funding For Tribal Colleges, $11.9 Million

-- aa Increase Funding For Tribal Courts, $2.95 Million

-- (aa -- Estimate Based On A Five Percent Increase From President's FY 2005 Request.)

-- (bb -- Estimate Based On Highest Revenue Amount Achieved - FY 2003 Funding.)

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