Disappointment for all seen in Bush budget

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- One day after its release, U.S. President George Bush's draft $2.57 trillion budget is predicted to disappoint everyone by Bush's own budget director.

Some of the sharpest cuts in Bush's fiscal 2006 spending blueprint fall on farm subsidies, education, environmental programs, and spending for health care for the poor and veterans, USA Today reported Tuesday.

Bush budget director Josh Bolten acknowledged even some of the president's allies in Congress will have trouble voting for the plan.

"Are we going to get everything we asked for? No," Bolten said. "Every individual member will be disappointed by something in this budget."

As well, the 2006 cost of the Iraq war is left out and will be petitioned as a supplemental item.

"It wouldn't be responsible for us to take a guess at what those costs are," Bolten said.

Also missing is the cost, which the administration puts at $754 billion over 10 years, of the president's plan to create private investment accounts in Social Security.

"The biggest thing about the budget is not what is in it, but what's not in it," said Stan Collender, an independent budget analyst.