Considering that the two spending bills on the war in the last year is only a fourth of what the prescription drug plan was, along with several other non-military spending bills are, there really isn't a justifiable reason why overall spending has to go up. They do it because they want to.

It's fiscally irresponsible for the government to continue to spend more on social programs and the like in a time of war. Spending cuts go hand-in-hand with tax cuts. Even if you take those tax cuts away you'd still have deficits.
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"Is the world angry at Russia, which spends nothing on AIDS and rebuffed Kyoto? Is the world angry at China, which got a pass on Kyoto and spends nothing on AIDS for other countries?

Is the world angry at North Korea for killings its people? Angry at Iran for smothering that vibrant nation with corrupt and thuggish mullocracy? Angry at Syria for occupying Lebanon? Angry at Saudi Arabia for its denial of women's rights? Angry at Russia for corrupt elections? Is the world angry at China for threatening Taiwan, or angry at France for joining the Chinese in joint military exercises that threatened the island on the eve of an election? Is the world angry at Zimbabwe for stealing land and starving people? Is the world angry at Pakistan for selling nuclear secrets? Is the world angry at Libya for having an NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical weapons) program?

Is the world angry at the thugs of Fallujah?

Is the world angry at anyone besides America and Israel?" - James Lileks