Disclaimer: I am not a policy wonk, and I am asking from ignorance. Please keep that in mind. I am not an expert, or very knowledgeable about deficit, budget and all this accounting talk.
There is often worry that Obama and Senate Democrats will sell out Americans on entitlements. Obama says that liberals should care about the deficit otherwise it complicates future fruition of progressive policies. For me, I think Obama has already made the biggest sellout that he will--making all those Bush tax cuts permanent. That's the real loss.
Anyway in terms of the deficit, in lay mans terms, I'm hoping to get the following help from kossites:
1. Is the deficit even a problem, or is that an invention from the village? (I know Krugman talks about this a lot, but my head gets fuzzy with hardcore economic concepts)
2. If it's a problem, and its true that medicare/healthcare will become unmanageabley expensive at some point in the future? IF (if) the deficit is indeed a danger, isn't there the same moral obligation to address it as our side correctly argues for climate change?
3. How come "the rich should pay more" is ok for taxes, but not for medicare?
4. If a later retirement age saves cuts, why isn't it a tolerable deal?
I don't like the way conservatives trot out this "common sense" policies, and also how they act like they have a monopoly on morality. Anyway, I for one think "justice" is as much an American virtue as "liberty".
But anyway, how to explain deficit in simple terms?