Tomfly, I answered this in an earlier post. I have put forth what I think may be the solution. Yes, it is Keynesian economic theory, and it has worked in the past. Government economics differ from household economics, but let's just say they were comparable. It is very common for a household to be in debt for more than they earn in a year (mortgages). If the household is deficit spending 14% a year to pay the mortgage and support the family, without additional revenue the house is lost and the family suffers, but if the household deficit spent to invest in other members of the household receiving training that enabled them to get a job, or helped other members create a business, they would stop being a drain on household resources and start adding income that would in time reduce the deficit. It is reported that maintaining the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy would cost about 690 billion. A rather large BB.