more spin from White House

NY Times
Campaign Tactic: Blame Foreigners and Ignore the Trade Deficit
By FLOYD NORRIS

Published: August 20, 2004


BLAME the foreigners.(NYTimes) That is a time-tested political tactic in America, and this year is no exception.

With the job outlook uncertain, protectionist winds are blowing. President Bush this week blasted European subsidies for Airbus, which has replaced Boeing as No. 1 in commercial jets.

As Bush blames AirBus for being subsidized the focus on the U.S. government's �tanker deal seems to be forgotten.(taxpayers for common sense) CBO SLAMS BOEING TANKER LEASE. The Congressional Budget Office, one of the few (very few) oversite organs that seems to work fairly well, blasted the administration and the Air Force-

�According to the report, the real cost to lease and purchase
tankers will be $5.7 billion more than the advertised price.�

�This current lease defies logic -- no fiscally responsible
person would enter a deal that would end up costing far more
to lease than to buy.�

Now if this isn't a subsidy then nothing is.