The huge explosion in the deficit is and will continue to be primarily the fault of a looming depression. In the 30’s they cut spending, raised taxes, in japan they dealt with their depression in the 90s/00s by spending in fits and starts and it didn’t do well.
The primary idea here, is to do something different from the 30’s and Japan’s 90s. While your concern over this increase to national debt is reasonable, the general world consensus is that Europe and japan will have to go much deeper in debt than the US. Relatively speaking, the US will still have less debt than the rest of the world. Cold comfort, it’s still owed money.
The Scalpel thing? Well just because conservatives think it’s “waste” to spend money on contraceptives, parks, healthcare, etc, certainly doesn’t mean that the democrats agree in anyway, hence not cut.
If the white house is guilty of anything, it’s the failure to clearly admit that half the “Stimulus” is really Relief/Welfare. I’m not sure that the reluctance to increase social programs that was dominant in the last 30 years, is still as strong given the economic chaos of today.
I would appreciate it if the Democrats stopped screaming “stimulus” and just make the arguments as to why they’re providing healthcare to 50 million people for $140 Billion, why they’re sending the states billions for shoring up their budgets, schools, etc. I’m not against their agenda, but the most important CHANGE America sought, was that a little honesty enter into our society, starting with the people running things in DC.