October 20, 2003

Whee! U.S. Budget Deficit Hits Record $374.2B!
Oct 20, 2:03, WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal budget deficit hit a record $374.2 billion in 2003, the administration reported Monday, as the costs of the war in Iraq, a new round of tax cuts and economic weakness pushed the government's red ink to the highest level in history.

Providing a final accounting of the budget year that ended Sept. 30, the administration said that the 2003 deficit was more than double last year's imbalance of $157.8 billion.

In dollar terms, the 2003 figure easily surpassed the old record of $290.4 billion set in 1992 when Bush-the-only-slightly-smarter was president.

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