The Iraq War vs. The U.S. Economy

More than 7 out of 10 Americans think government spending on the war in Iraq is partly responsible for the economic troubles in the United States, according to results of a recent poll.

WP: Who are the other 3? Oil barons and presidents?

A White House spokesman said the war had cost the U.S. $406.2 billion through December 2007. The spokesman said the economists "throw everything in the kitchen sink" into the study, including costs like interest on the national debt, and called the projection "exaggerated."

WP: Oh, sorry. It's only $400 billion.

And President Bush, speaking on NBC's "Today" last month, disputed the notion that the war was negatively affecting the economy. "I think actually the spending in the war might help with jobs ... because we're buying equipment and people are working," he said. "I think this economy is down because we built too many houses and the economy's adjusting."

WP: That's right...it's too many houses. Houses. Not the exorbitant cost of gas, inflation surpassing salary increases, unemployment on the rise, lay-offs, dramatic increase in stock prices, billions of dollars spent on the war in Iraq, etc. It's TOO MANY HOUSES. Perhaps Bush's next plan of action should be to suggest everyone "double up."