DEFICIT AND BUDGET SHORTFALL

Here it is - the actual numbers for the first half of the year.

The deficit for the first half of 2009 is within a hair of being 4 x the deficit for 2008.

DEFICIT AND BUDGET SHORTFALL - The U.S. has posted a record budget deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2009 of $956.8 billion, a number inflated by governmental spending on financial and economic programs, and this year's budget shortfall is more than triple 2008's deficit. For March, the government filed a record monthly deficit of $192.27 billion. For the same month last fiscal year, the gap was only $48.21 billion.

so you know - 4 x 48.21 billion is 192.84 billion.