I have to correct a number of misleading statements in Mike Schauer's March 3 letter to the editor, ("Conrad just passing the buck").

Schauer's suggestion that the Democratic-led Congress is somehow responsible for our foundering economy is a stunning disregard of the first three-quarters of President Bush's time in office.

If Schauer were interested in teaching "a lesson in appropriations and funding," he would note the skyrocketing debt under the president's watch. Schauer would highlight Bush's decision to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans by borrowing from other nations - all done with the blessing of a Republican-led Congress.

Conversely, Schauer makes no mention of Sen. Kent Conrad's budget, which will balance the nation's books in five years. Debt and spending would be down as a share of gross domestic product in Conrad's plan as well.

Schauer also fails to acknowledge that the Democratic-led Senate has reinstituted rules to curb runaway spending, such as the pay-go rule, which helped put the federal budget in surplus before Bush took office.

Make no mistake: Bush is leaving our nation in a deep economic hole. The next president and future Congresses face the daunting task of digging us out.