It's a phrase that has cost me more than one phone number at parties, but I find it appropriate to bring up now: "Let's talk about the economy." Brian Collar in his Sept. 2 Viewpoint, "Challenges issued to Sen. Kerry," claims the left "must turn its attention away from a booming economy."

While I cannot speak for every leftist, this Democrat still has a lot to say. Collar claims the economy is booming. He is right. But what does that mean? To find out, I researched the Senate Budget Committee. The first line of the Democratic staff's fact sheet for Fiscal Year 2005 sort of jumped out at me, "The Congressional Budget Committee Office January 2004 Budget and Economic Outlook confirms that President Bush is the most fiscally irresponsible president in the nation's history."

It is a pretty bold statement, but keep in mind this is not a report by MoveOn.org, but is based on a report by the Congressional Budget Office. They predict deficits will continue to be over $400 billion over the next 10 years, eventually resulting in a $577 billion deficit. Now take that number and contrast it with the budget predictions when Bush took office. For 2002-11, there was supposed to be $5.6 trillion surplus, but now the CBO is predicting a $4.2 trillion deficit. That means a reversal of $9.8 trillion dollars. Note that we are talking trillions of dollars, not billions. In other words, this is big money.

What is even more shocking is those numbers would be larger if Bush was not using the Social Security surplus, something he said that he would not do. I found an archived radio address to the nation from March 3, 2001 where Bush promised to protect this surplus, "to keep the promise of social security and keep the government from raiding the Social Security surplus." Yet on Feb. 6, 2002 Alison Mitchell of The New York Times reported in "Social Security Pledges May Haunt Both Parties," that "The new budget uses Social Security surpluses to pay for other programs every year through 2013, ultimately diverting more than $1.4 trillion in Social Security funds to other purposes."

So not only is the deficit the largest it has ever been, Social Security is suffering. Chances are the Social Security situation will get even worse when the baby boomers start retiring and demanding their benefits.

But the economy is improving, right? Yes, it is. However, all those economists at the CBO took that into consideration too. Their report claims their deficit estimates take into account a strong and growing economy, but that deficits will continue to climb anyway. If economic growth is not going to affect the deficit and the long-term problems it will bring, I worry.

I worry when I talk to my intelligent, hard-working friends (Marquette graduates, no less) and there is no job market for them outside of the $8- to $9-per-hour range. I worry when $87 billion dollars is going to Iraq and only $200 million is addressing AIDS. I worry when schools are losing funding that they desperately need. Due to the cuts to the Social Security surplus, I am even a little bit worried whether or not I will be able to retire someday.

Anyhow, what I am trying to say is do not tell me when the left "must turn its attention away" from an issue. I am the leftist here, let me decide that. I am definitely not done talking about the economy. I would be delighted to touch on the other issues raised by Collar's viewpoint as well, but I am constrained to a 700-word limit.

As for the rest of you, do not let anyone tell you when an issue is decided. Do not take phrases like, "the economy is improving" at face value. Dig into the intricacies of any campaign issue and I think you'll be surprised no matter who you are supporting. Do your homework and make an informed decision on Nov. 2. After all, it is your future that's at stake.

Benesh is a junior political science and international affairs major.

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