US Federal Deficits

Congress has failed to reduce spending to align with revenue and opposes federal spending cuts and opposes changes in US law that would move them to a balanced budget.  Federal revenue for 2019 is $3 trillion and spending for 2019 is $4 trillion.  In addition, State and local government spending and revenue for 2019 is an additional $3 trillion.

US Federal Budget Deficit by Year

2019 $1.091 trillion

2018 $779 billion

2017 $665 billion

2016 $585 billion

2015 $438 billion

2014 $485 billion

2013 $679 billion

2012 $1.087 trillion

2011 $1.300 trillion

2010 $1.294 trillion

2009 $1.413 trillion

2008 $459 billion

2007 $161 billion

2006 $248 billion

2005 $318 billion

2004 $413 billion

2003 $378 billion

2002 $158 billion

https://www.thebalance.com/us-deficit-by-year-3306306

These annual deficits are cumulative and have resulted in the increase in our US National Debt from $5 trillion in 2000 to $22 trillion in 2019.

The US federal government has its nose in many functions that belong to the States and local governments and should close federal departments, agencies and programs that are unconstitutional under the 10^th Amendment. Congress refuses to address this.

Congress needs to either close these programs, or propose an Amendment to the US Constitution to add the functions they wish to retain for ratification by 66% of the States.

It is likely the States would approve the return of federal land back to the States and approve closing the federal Departments of Education, Transportation and Grants to States, shifting all government spending on these back to the States, Counties and Cities who would then fund their own schools, roads, bridges, highways and parks.

Congress should look to all the other Departments, Agencies and Programs that spend federal tax dollars to give these functions to the States or include them in other Amendments to add these functions to the “enumerated powers”.  These include Energy, Labor, SBA, HUD, Commerce, Interior and others like EPA, Corp of Engineers, Agriculture, NSF, Homeland Security, all Grants to States and others

Congress should look to sell its lending functions like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Sallie Mae to the private sector.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader