Katrina Recovery - How to pay for it?

Who is running this place?

A half-dozen House and Senate Republicans have drafted legislation to keep a close eye on Katrina expenditures, and several have called for significant spending cuts to pay for the relief.

"There's no shortage of places where the federal government can tighten its belt to pay the cost of the hurricane recovery effort," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). "Let's face it, after years of uninterrupted growth, the federal government is bloated."

Other Republicans have contradicted that assertion, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), who has said there is no appreciable fat in the federal budget.

And, of course, Bush says NO tax increases.