Gail, just a correction or two about deficits. The 2 wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, actually one war on two fronts, did not explode the debt. The deficits went down due to the tax cuts that stimulated the economy between 2003 and 2007, with a republican house. FY2007 deficit had gone down to 161 billion. The democrats took control of the house in Jan. 2007 and the budget and other spending for FY2008 caused the deficit to rise to 458 billion helped by Bush. The reason the deficits have come down under Obama is due entirely to republicans retaking control of the house in Jan. 2011.

Republican presidents starting with Reagan almost without exception raise the deficit, Dems lower it? Please tell me what president of whatever party has the authority to spend anything without being first authorized by congress? Perhaps you can remember the wailing by the democrats every time Reagan vetoed something due to the democrats attaching spending riders on every bill they could. Dems raise deficits.