You Fix the Budget gives Times audience the power

The president’s bipartisan commission on reducing the deficit are locking horns on procedure. Such hot button choices as Social Security, Medicare and the Bush tax cuts loom large. In a novel approach, the New York Times is asking its audience to weigh in via an interactive puzzle. Weigh in via the Times’ interactive puzzle and get things done that will likely take Washington years.

'You Fix the Budget’ while we are in such an ‘Age of Austerity’

Cutting the deficit will require tough decisions; participating within the Times’ "You Fix the Budget" puzzle is understandably devoid of grief or other unpleasant after-effects. The federal deficit will lead the government right into an "Age of Austerity." Politicians all know this. Tough decisions could be made by audience without pressure being put to them. This will make it so things get done. Is it possible for the politicians and New York Times readers to meet the same austerity?

$400 billion too much in 2015 with the deficit

The federal debt will hit $400 billion greater than can be sustained by 2015. This is what economists are expecting. One year's economic growth pay's for the previous year's shortfall. This means small deficits will easily run forever.

$400 billion is beyond that level far too much. More than half the Pentagon's annual Budget and over half the Medicare Budget is getting used here. It is more than 2 percent of what the nation's output in 2015 will be states experts. The Times does point out that Greece and Ireland are at least much worse off than $400 billion. The U.S. federal deficit from 1990 to 1994 was larger than that. It isn't that bad.

Deficit cutting not likely in politics

Whatever the New York Times audience say about how much taxes should rise and just how much spending should be slashed will "probably be something that isn’t politically feasible now." This is what William Gale of Brookings Institution thinks. Politicians who have actual plans about cutting the deficit are not voted in as often as those who generally talk over it.

Citations

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/11/14/weekinreview/14leonhardt.html?_r=1

NY Times

nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html