Remedial Math for the President

President George W. Bush's new budget proposes spending $5.9 billion to promote math in America. This might not be a bad idea, if only because politicians seemingly cannot count. This year, the president wants to spend $2.77 trillion, including record amounts of money for both domestic programs and national defense/homeland security. The details are even less encouraging. His new budget will add $18 billion for hurricane relief on top of the billions already blanketing the regions affected by Hurricane Katrina, as well as comical proposals such as $148 million for the Solar America Initiative and $55 million for activities during the International Polar Year. And yet the White House argues that this year we will "maintain our pro-growth policies and insist on spending restraint."

The administration's reductions in tax rates have been a success, so the first part of that claim is fine. After that, it goes downhill.

Read the rest of the commentary at Reason.com.