I very much DID read the reference. The part I keyed on was "These include cash payments, food, housing, Medicaid and various social services " - especially the "various social services" part.

Mind you, one of the reasons that Medicaid is going up is because of Bush and Congress getting together for the prescription drug plan - a HUGE increased cost that's getting worse every year.

You complain about Obama's spending plan and then quote the huge increases that run right through the BUSH years.

The ONLY time that spending was even SOMEWHAT under control was when Clinton was in office with a Republican legislature holding his feet to the fire. When Bush got in, they spent money like drunken sailors and it's only getting worse now - with the 'justification' of stimulus spending.

I have no faith that the current administration will learn how to put the brakes on spending as the economy inevitably recovers.