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Growing deficits

Federal budget deficits in the half-trillion-dollar a year range apparently are being viewed as a success by President Barack Obama and other liberals.

After leading the nation into four straight years of deficit spending that topped $1 trillion annually, Obama is benefiting from a slightly better economy. His proposal for fiscal 2016 is for about $4 trillion in spending, with a deficit of $474 billion. That amounts to slightly less than $1,500 for every man, woman and child in the United States.

And oh, by the way, the Obama plan relies on $2 trillion in tax increases during a 10-year period.

Most striking about Obama’s long-range plan – and federal programs and taxes are envisioned in 10-year terms – is that if it proceeds, the federal budget would never be balanced. Never. Not in our lifetimes, not in our children’s lifetimes and not while our grandchildren curse those who got them into the mess.

Reluctance to make the hard decisions needed to get the budget in balance is not a partisan thing. Though liberals have earned their reputation as big spenders, conservatives have not done their duty, either.

One favored strategy is to conceal deficit spending through various accounting tricks. Because of them, the actual federal debt is much higher than the $18 trillion-plus most often discussed.

It has been clear for many years that the nation must get its fiscal house in order – whatever that takes – or face a meltdown of the economy eventually. What, then, are our elected representatives waiting for?

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