In my view, the Times creates bad feeling by creating a sin of omission.

Bush Rules Out Tax Increases to Pay for Hurricane Recovery

Heated discussions between the White House and Congressional leaders, including some Republicans, over how to pay for the recovery effort now seem inevitable. Some Republicans were worrying publicly about the rising federal deficits even before Mr. Bush pledged a huge federal role in the recovery in a speech Thursday night in New Orleans - and before his "no new taxes" pledge today.

Before Hurricane Katrina, the deficit for the fiscal year that ends two weeks from today was projected to be about $330 billion.

Apparently, they forgot this line - the federal deficit is down from $413 billion in fiscal year 2004 while the economy has grown by 3.6% in the last year, reducing the size of the deficit to 2.7% of GDP, down from 3.5%. (The 40 year average is a deficit which runs at 2.2% of GDP).

Assuming the economy keeps growing and the cost of reconstruction is spread out over at least two years, I think we can handle it folks.