S&P and the economy, Hello is somebody sleeping?

Debt issuance may increase further after bond trading firms this week predicted the budget shortfall will more than double to $988 billion in 2009.

The Bush administration's most recent budget forecast, issued in July, projected a $482 billion deficit for the 2009 fiscal year, which started Oct. 1. Since then, the government has taken over mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, intervened to save insurance company American International Group Inc., and embarked on the bank rescue program. As a result, borrowing needs are expected to rise to a record $550 billion in the three months to Dec. 31, the Treasury said Nov. 3. That follows a $530 billion record in the July to September quarter. California embraced municipal debt as they approved about $39.7 billion of new borrowing, representing about 83 percent of measures for which results were available. Californians approved at least $27 billion, including money for schools and loans to veterans.

Voters in 41 states from Rhode Island to Alaska considered $66.4 billion of bond proposals yesterday, the second-biggest slate after November 2006's $78.6 billion, according to Ipreo, a New York-based financial data provider. The measures sought the largest amount of new borrowing during a presidential election.