General Discussion

he wanted the U. S. government to be so small that you could drown it in a bathtub.

I interpreted that to mean he wanted to cut every social program that helped the middle class and the poor so that the rich didn't have to pay taxes. But, defense spending was okay. He didn't want the government to provide services to help Americans with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Getting back to the deficit, I think of it this way. If I'm heavily in debt, I find a way to increase my income. Today's conservatives spend and spend and spend while decreasing the government's income.