Chupacabra Report

The good news this week is that the Missile Dick Chicks visited Halliburton headquarters in Houston on their way to the Art Car Parade.

Now, for news that gets my goat..

-From Gary Scharrer at the Chronicle’s Austin Bureau:

“Texas schools warn inflation could send districts into bankruptcy — The funding system approved by Texas lawmakers two years ago provides no new money to cover rising prices, educators say, and unless a fix is enacted, districts will be faced with difficult choices such as closing campuses or firing teachers.”

-But just last week, I was reading this:

By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

“AUSTIN — The nation may be on the verge of a recession, but the Texas economy is doing well enough for Comptroller Susan Combs to predict Tuesday that the Legislature will have a $10.7 billion surplus when it convenes in January.
Much of the extra money can be attributed to record oil prices. While motorists are being socked with ever-increasing gasoline costs, oil and gas employment in Texas has been booming, the comptroller's office reported.
If Combs' early forecast holds up, Gov. Rick Perry would like to return part of the money to the taxpayers in the form of tax cuts or rebate checks, spokesman Robert Black said. But those steps would need legislative action.”

-So what is it, are we flush or busted? Probably safe to go with busted, see this:

By JENNIFER C. KERR
Associated Press

“WASHINGTON — Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come — even as the total population of America's vets shrinks.
Despite the decline in total vets — as soldiers from World War II and Korea die — the government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today's $29 billion, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press. And the Veterans Affairs Department concedes the bill could be much higher.”

-This reminds me of Army General Eric Shinseki, who was cashiered by Bush and Rummy when he said that the Iraq invasion could require hundreds of thousands of troops.

And Economic Council Director Lawrence Lindsey, replaced in 2002 after estimating that the Iraq war could cost $200 billion.

The administration said that the war could cost $50-60 billion, if it wasn’t all paid for out of Iraqi oil revenues.

Last year total outlays reached $400 billion, and the Congressional Budget Office now estimates that the price of the war will reach $2.4 trillion in ten years.

Please remember such rose-colored baloney this year when you hear Republicans say that they’re the responsible party of fiscal conservatives.