You try it. No really.

Recently I tried my hand at balancing the Federal budget with the NYT's interactive deficit-reduction feature, here's the rough plan: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html?choices=7zxvn9qc

Mine is an enormous surplus for rapid repayment of debts and/or expansion of discretionary spending on certain projects, but it has room for several adjustments, or much smaller surpluses. I invite you to use the clear-choices button and try your hand at it, at the very least this tool is good at illustrating the choices at hand, the sacrifices that might be necessary for budget reduction, and educating us about what we do or do not support among these options. Please try it, I would love to see the different results.