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Senator Bennett tells Utah House deficit should be viewed as share of GDP and defends Iraq policy
Summary
Senator Bennett told the Utah House that while the federal deficit is the largest in dollar terms, it is comparable to past deficits as a share of GDP; he also said intelligence shortcomings do not warrant apologizing for the Iraq war and urged staying the course.
Senator Bennett addressed the Utah House as a guest, saying his visit had elements of a campaign stop and focusing on constituent concerns about the size of the federal deficit. "Yes, in dollar terms, this is the biggest deficit in history," Bennett said, but he urged members to consider the deficit as a share of gross domestic product and noted forecasting uncertainty. He criticized a presidential claim that the deficit would be halved in five years as "wrong."
Bennett also discussed recent reporting by David Kay on prewar intelligence in Iraq, saying Kay’s assessment showed intelligence was faulty but did not, in Bennett’s view, make the war illegitimate. He argued that Kay found Saddam Hussein in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1441 and that Saddam’s potential to be dangerous justified continuing U.S. policy. "If we succeed, and if we stay the course I believe we can, we will not only transform the Middle East, we will transform the world and make everyone...much, much safer," Bennett said.
Representative Daniels asked Bennett about Medicare reimbursement issues and their effect on state budgets. Bennett said he did not have details at hand and offered to have his office provide more information.
Bennett concluded by inviting further questions and offering to follow up with members’ offices for specifics they requested.
