The Budget Problem

FederalBudget.com is really simple, but still quite effective for me. The bar graphs make it pretty clear that DoD, HHS, Social Security, and servicing the debt are the biggies.

Huge entitlements + Aging population = Impending budget catastrophe

Now, you can take your pick. Read a short, medium, or long article about the problem:

• Short: The Brookings Institution (from 2006)--Domestic Entitlements and the Federal Budget
• Medium: Concord Coalition--Entitlements
• Long: If you want to wallow in the numbers and really geek out, read this 2005 article from the Heritage Foundation: Entitlement-Driven Long-Term Budget Substantially Worse Than Previously Projected.

My fear is that the government is going to keep kicking these problems down the road. How will it end? Whenever and however it ends, it will be very ugly.