Highest budget deficit ever: 2008 more than doubles 2007, 2009 to be astronomical

http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/14/news/economy/budget_deficit.ap/index.htm?postversion=2008101416

Highest budget deficit ever
Red ink hits $454.8 billion in 2008, more than double that of 2007; economists say bailout to weigh on next year.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal budget deficit soared to $454.8 billion in 2008 as a housing collapse and efforts to combat the economic slowdown pushed the tide of government red ink to the highest level in history.

The Bush administration said Tuesday the deficit for the budget year that ended Sept. 30 was more than double the $161.5 billion recorded in 2007.

It surpassed the previous record of $413 billion set in 2004. Economists predicted a far worse number next year as the costs of the government's rescue of the financial system and the economic hard times hit the government's balance sheet.

...make a fuss about deficits and debt was the funny man with the large ears and I believe BCFR took care of any impact a third party candidate would have on the electorate...sure some have tried to raise the consciousness since, but we've been living and hearing those negative numbers for so long that they almost don't mean anything anymore, like working for nothing a big chunk of the year to pay for things that don't work and speaking as one who has to deduct payroll taxes, some folk get royally torqued if you don't take enough of their money...we're a suffer-able lot.