Why we have a budget problem

Austin Frakt is right. You really can't post this graph enough:

If you're trying to bring the budget into balance, nothing really matters except for Medicare and Medicaid. Other things can help, of course. But they can't get you to balance, or close to it.

Luckily, the Democrats have gotten a start on Medicare. The graph in this post is pre-Affordable Care Act. That legislation made some progress on Medicare and Medicaid, though progress that the Republicans want to roll back. But it won't be enough. Not near it. So the fact that the main proposal Republicans have to deal with these two programs is to undo what little we've done to bring them closer to balance is really worrying. It's like you're nutritionist telling you to put M&Ms back into your diet.