News outlets are picking up on the latest CBO report that estimates the 2009 budget deficit is going to hit $1.6 trillion. That's the biggest single-year shortfall since WWII.Back in 2001, the CBO thought we'd be sitting on a $710 billion surplus by 2009. They were way off. The Center for American Progress breaks down how we got from there to here.It shouldn't be all that surprising that "President Bush's policies" account for 40 percent of the current deficit-he had eight years to affect things and Obama's had less than one. But this is a nice reminder that deficits and surpluses are built over time-it doesn't always make sense to blame or credit the guy who's currently in charge for the numbers you're seeing in the news.
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