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Politics : Actual left/right wing discussion
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To: JBTFD who wrote (2590)10/11/2006 5:41:47 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (1) of 10087
 
Excluding the social security surpluses is the standard way to calculate the deficit. There are a number of problems with that standard way, but when people talk about increasing or decreasing the deficit it is almost always what they mean.

I don't think the social security deficit should be excluded. The income from it is real income, as is the spending. If the income exceeds the spending than you have a current surplus from that program which should be recognized. OTOH the obligations involved in the program should also be recognized. Its not quite the same as a debt or a contracted obligation, the government could simply cancel the program and it wouldn't amount to a default (I'm not saying that's going to happen, merely drawing distinctions).

I think that the deficit is to complex of topic to accurately be represented by one number. But politicians and reporters want one simple figure to latch on to.
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