READ HIS LIPS

President George W. Bush with Russian President Vladmir in the White House in Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Friday ruled out raising taxes to pay for Gulf Coast reconstruction, saying other government spending must be cut.

The President made his position about raising taxes to fund Katrina relief during a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin (Pooty Poot).

Bush was asked:

Mr. President, with billions of dollars flowing out of Washington for hurricane relief, some Republicans are worried that you're writing a blank check that will have to be paid by future generations. Who is going to have to pay for this recovery, and what's it going to do to the national debt?


He responded:

[Y]ou bet, it's going to cost money. But I'm confident we can handle it and I'm confident we can handle our other priorities. It's going to mean that we're going to have to make sure we cut unnecessary spending. It's going to mean we don't do -- we've got to maintain economic growth, and therefore we should not raise taxes. Working people have had to pay a tax, in essence, by higher gasoline prices. And we don't need to be taking more money out of their pocket. And as we spend the money, we got to make sure we spend it wisely. And so we're going to have inspectors general overseeing the expenditure of the money.

Indirectly, the monumental costs of rebuilding the areas damaged by Katrina may spur lawmakers to finally "just say no" to pork. It may prove to be the impetus that forces Congress to become more fiscally responsible.

It's worth a try to eliminate unnecessary spending before burdening the American people with higher taxes.

Instead of freaking out about Bush's proposals, conservatives should look for areas to start trimming the fat.