President Bush is in a no-win situation trying to get the approval of the Times' editorial page. The same paper that recently lashed [1]him for irresponsibly running up a deficit, today calls his budget - which calls for a freeze, not even a cut, in domestic spending - "hard-hearted."
From Friday's editorial, "Final Spin on the [2]Budget [2]," which throws in a "xenophobia" slur against Republicans concerned about illegal immigration.
As a political document, President Bush's new budget could not be timelier for Republican candidates - those aspiring to City Hall, the Capitol or all the way to the White House - who wax xenophobic about immigration and the Mexican border. The good news is that the Democrats are now in charge of Congress, and Mr. Bush's hard-hearted calls to freeze domestic spending will be vigorously challenged. As a campaign tract, the Bush budget is a chillingly revealing read. Food aid for impoverished children? Medical research? Environmental protection? Well, my friends, hard calls for hard times. But when it comes to enforcement-heavy immigration policies, don't spare the expenses.