[hove]

"Mostly, but we only have surpluses if the economy is good anyway. Deficit spending is fine during an economic downturn as long as interest rates are low (and they are).

I'm not sure I agree. We have been accumulating deficits for years. And as it is, we tax payers pay almost as much on interest on the debt each year...that we pay for defense spending. That's disgusting! And interest rates might go up...making this even worse.

[concerned about politics]

We have been accumulating deficits for years.

The only way to get it back down is to repair the '98 recession. If we can't rebalance it via tax relief, how do you suppose we do?
If Republicans start dropping social programs overnight, the populus would panic, Democrats would take their place, and you get ready to just sign the back of your paycheck and send it to the DNC.

[freeper12]

>>And as it is, we tax payers pay almost as much on interest on the debt each year...that we pay for defense spending.

From some quick stats I found on the web, it appears we are paying something north of $300 BILLION dollars each year in interest payments...lets pretned somehow that we could get spending under control, and no longer had debt service...Instead of having everyone excited about a $670Billion reduction in taxes over ten years, we could have $3 TRILLION over ten years...(10 times $300B)....and every year thereafter, I might add.