Reply #6: It is rather simple.

[quaker bill]

First you undo the entire Bush tax cut. Since the economy is still not quite charging ahead, you have to constrain the growth in spending to balance the budget. Balancing the budget and restoring a surplus will allow the national debt to be paid off. Interest on the national debt currently constitutes 13 to 15 percent of the total Federal budget. As you pay off the national debt, the revenue currently going to interest payments can be used for other programs without having to pay additional taxes.

It is just like how paying off your credit cards makes the end of the month easier.

Bush on the other hand wants to 'starve the beast' with tax cuts and deficit spending. It is intended to 'force' fiscal discipline. It has not caused any marked discipline yet but as revenue falls (as further scheduled tax cuts come online) and interest payments rise a financial crisis will occur where either huge tax increases are required or dramatic spending cuts must be made.

This is more like charging your credit cards up to the max and then taking a lower wage job.

But then again, if the difference wasn't patently obvious on first inspection, I am probably wasting my time here.