Kerry: Bush $2.6T Budget Plan Dishonest - Guardian Unlimited | World Latest |

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Kerry: Bush $2.6T Budget Plan Dishonest:

"WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush's $2.6 trillion budget plan working its way through Congress is dishonest, irresponsible and violates the core values of average Americans, said Bush's former rival for the presidency, Sen. John Kerry.

``This budget is like an Enron budget: smoke the numbers, cook the books, hide the truth and hope no one finds out,'' Kerry, who was last year's Democratic presidential nominee, said in prepared remarks for a speech Thursday.

Kerry criticized the Republican leadership's priorities in a budget that includes proposed cuts in health care and education and up to $106 billion in tax cuts over the next five years.

And he said the budget fails to acknowledge ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that could cost up to $400 billion over the next 10 years, as well as the cost of Bush's key priority - Social Security reform.

The Massachusetts senator said the budget will pile up almost $6 trillion in new debt, while giving tax cuts to the rich."