The Chart That Should Accompany All Discussions of the Debt Ceiling

Atlantic Monthly by James Fallows | Jul. 25, 2011 (Opinion)

You can be against deficits. You can be for preserving tax cuts. You cannot be for both -- logically, that is. Full Story »

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by Gerald Zuckier - Aug. 10, 2011

It demonstrates the utter incoherence of being very concerned about a structural federal deficit but ruling out of consideration the policy that was largest single contributor to that deficit, namely the Bush-era tax cuts. An additional significance of the chart: it identifies policy changes, the things over which Congress and Administration have some control, as opposed to largely external shocks — like the repercussions of the 9/11 attacks or the deep worldwide recession following the 2008 financial crisis