The Congressional Budget Office released a report titled Long-Term Economic Effects of Chronically Large Federal Deficits yesterday. The report discusses how deficits affect national saving, financial markets, and capital inflows. The report points out that while temporary deficits (such as those brought about by unanticipated spending for events such as Hurricane Katrina) can serve to support economic activity, large federal deficits (such as those created by chronic tax cutting) serve to reduce future living standards by "slowing the accumulation of national wealth as they lower national saving.... by shifting resources into public and private consumption through increases in federal spending cuts in federal taxes." The report also notes that policies which increase the deficit but also "provide incentives for people to work, acquire more skills and education, undertake research and development, invest, innovate, or use resources more efficiently may do less harm to future living standards than policies that increase the deficit without providing such incentives."

After Hurricane Katrina, President Bush waived wage protections established under the Davis-Bacon Act that require federal contractors to pay area prevailing wages. While some have speculated on the legality of this decision, it has flat out angered a substantial number of House members from the President's own party, who sent a letter to him in late September expressing their outrage. This week, Rep. LaTourette (R-OH) - the member who spearheaded the effort to rally 36 other Republicans against the waiver - announced on the House floor he would be seeking legislative action to reinstate Davis-Bacon requirements. "I don't know exactly what we have in mind yet, but I think the week of the 17th [of October] there may be some activity," LaTourette said. Democrats in the House have already taking action to attempt to reverse Bush's decision. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) has introduced a bill, H.R. 3763, that will require the re-application of Davis-Bacon wage requirements to the areas affect by Hurricane Katrina. It is widely agreed the bill would pass it voted upon, but the House GOP leadership has continued to block any such vote. Make Your Voice Heard The Campaign for America's Future has launched a letter writing campaign to raise support for reinstating Davis-Bacon requirements.