Obama's fiscal straitjacket?

• Position: Off the News - Brief article

Depending on how the U.S. Treasury bailout package is treated as a budget item, the 2009 U.S. budget deficit could exceed $1.5 trillion and possibly even reach $2 trillion. The likely swelling of the deficit will be the result of the various bailout packages, fiscal stimulus plans and lower tax receipts from economic contraction. What's more, state governments are already lining up for their federal bailouts. Private pension funds will be next. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will no doubt be in need of a healthy injection of federal capital. And none of this factors in the tax cut and spending increase promises made during...