Obama: Deficit due to administration moves

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The current White House administration has created a major federal deficit by giving financial breaks to the wealthy, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in Saturday's weekly Democratic Radio Address that President George W. Bush's administration was to blame for the budget deficit, which is approaching nearly half a trillion dollars.

Obama blamed the ever-expanding deficit on Bush and warned U.S. citizens that he believes presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain would bring about more of the same if elected.

"Instead of helping Americans who are struggling, we've seen loopholes and lavish giveaways for corporations that ship jobs overseas, and tax cut after tax cut for the wealthiest Americans who don't need them and didn't even ask for them," Obama said.

"Now, Senator McCain proposes to continue these costly and unfair Bush tax policies," Obama added.

The Illinois senator instead called for a change in the government's direction that focuses on ending the war in Iraq and promoting alternative energy, along with ending big tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy.