The heavy posturing in Washington over fiscal policy makes it difficult to focus on the stark reality presented by the Congressional Budget Office. Federal budget revenues in the US have fallen from 18.5 per cent of gross domestic product in 2007 to a projected 15.8 per cent in 2012, while federal spending levels have risen from 19.7 per cent to a projected 23.4 per cent, according to the CBO. Much of this growing gap can be attributed to the economic conditions that have existed during this period. However, it is clear that a return to normal growth rates alone will not fix the US’s structural flaws.
華盛頓方面對財政政策咬得很緊，因此很難注意到國會預算辦公室(Congressional Budget Office)的數據所體現出的嚴峻現實。2007年，美國聯邦預算收入與其國內生產毛額(GDP)的比率爲18.5%，這一比率今年預計將降至15.8%。國會預算辦公室還表示，聯邦支出水準與GDP之比預計已從19.7%上升至23.4%。收入與支出差距不斷擴大，很大程度上要歸咎於這段時期的經濟狀況。然而，僅憑經濟成長率恢復正常，顯然不足以修復美國的結構性缺陷。