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Folks - any deficit reduction number has to be treated with a healthy amount of skepticism regardless of the occupant of the oval office or the composition of the house and senate. The CBO issues reports based on a set of parameters / assumptions that are requested by the individual congressperson or committee that requests the report. This doesn't mean that the CBO report reflects reality. It simply means that, if certain assumptions are true, then "X will be the result."
The bottom line is this: we're spending more than we're taking in. The scale on which this continues to occur produces a budget deficit the size of which the average individual cannot begin to relate to or comprehend. The annual deficit then further balloons the national debt. The size of the national debt is even further beyond the ability of the average person to comprehend.
Both repubs and dems have shown utter contempt for true fiscal restraint. However, of the two, it seems to fall to the party out of power to champion the issue of fiscal restraint. Once that party assumes power, however, any prior comments about restraint or overtures to same are promptly kicked to the curb in favor of consolidating political power.
Shame on all of us for allowing this to continue unabated for so long.
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