If an auto repairman estimated the charge for his work would approach $2,500, you would probably feel a lot better if the final tab didn't even exceed $2,000. The cost still made a painful dent in your bank account, but you also know it could have been worse. But what if the mechanic gave you a high figure knowing you'd be somewhat relieved to learn that the repair cost less than expected?

Did government leaders perform similarly a few months ago? Earlier this year, the Bush administration's economists projected an enormous $455 billion deficit for fiscal year 2003. At the close of the fiscal year on September 30, they announced that the actual shortfall turned out to be a mere $374.2 billion. Never mind that was more than double what it was a year ago! Joshua B. Bolten, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, called the lower figure "an encouraging sign that our economy is gaining momentum."

In other words, don't worry about this huge addition to the already staggering national debt because things aren't as bad as the experts predicted. And, by the way, don't be concerned when Mr. Bolten forecasts that the deficit for fiscal year 2004 will exceed $500 billion. Also, don't fret if you learn that the Congressional Budget Office projects that the next 10 years will add another $5 trillion in red ink.

The largest previous deficit for a single year topped out at $290.4 billion in 1992 when the elder Bush occupied the White House. Last year, after four consecutive annual surpluses according to government bookkeeping, the federal ledger showed an annual deficit of $157.8 billion. Should we not conclude that when a Bush is in charge, debt reaches flood proportions?

The current President Bush has assured the nation that tax cuts would produce jobs that would result in more tax revenue. But the jobs haven't materialized and neither has the expected boost in tax revenue. His tax cuts actually account for approximately half of the $374.2 billion deficit. If taxes had been lowered through less government, the tax cuts would have benefited the economy. Instead, government spending has actually risen by 24 percent since the dawn of the era of "compassionate conservatism."

Over the past year, the national debt has increased (on the average) by $1.58 billion per day. As of October 20, 2003, the total national debt stood at $6,834,248,759,903. If we consider the U.S. population to be 280 million, this means that every man, woman and child in this land of the free and home of the brave owes approximately $24,000. Because less than half of the population is working, the debt share per worker more than doubles.

Added to this burden is the cost of interest on already accumulated debt. During fiscal year 2003, for instance, the U.S. government shelled out $318 billion in interest, more than $1,000 per living American. But again, the tab per taxpayer would be twice that amount. Interest on debt is actually the third largest item in the federal budget.

Another scary feature of the government's profligacy is that a growing portion of the national debt is owned by foreigners, including the Communist Chinese. Also, a sizable amount of government debt is "paid" with newly created money courtesy of the Federal Reserve. All of these newly fabricated dollars take on value by watering down the value of existing dollars, insurance policies, retirement programs, etc. Why are prices rising? Don't blame your local merchant or businessman; blame the deficit creators in Washington.

Another frightening aspect of this growing problem is the enormous unfunded government obligations extending many years into the future. The Social Security program alone has an unfunded liability of over $14 trillion to current and future retirees. There's no money in the federal till to honor this hallowed contract with millions of Americans, many of whom would quit the program in a heartbeat if they could. A little known "secret" about Social Security is that taxes it collects have always been general revenue and "are not earmarked in any way" according to a 1937 Supreme Court ruling (Helvering v. Davis). Anyone who points to a "Social Security trust fund" is guilty either of wholesale ignorance or deliberate deceit.

Competent historians have shown that some of mankind's more sinister characters have steered nations into indebtedness as a way of forcing them to borrow. The borrowing reaps large interest benefits, but it can also result in a nation losing its ability to act in its own self-interest. Heavy indebtedness can, in fact, cost a nation its sovereignty and its people their freedom. No one should delude himself into thinking that our nation?s leaders are unaware of these horrendous consequences.

What then should be done? There is an answer and its name is the U.S. Constitution. The federal government must be put back on the leash created by our nation's founders. There is no authorization in the Constitution for foreign aid and for a host of costly agencies and programs that are killing the goose that has always laid the golden eggs. Phasing out federal involvement in education, medicine, energy, housing, welfare and other unconstitutional programs is part of the answer. Paying off the national debt is another.

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