The Debt Star We're Building

The Debt Star We're Building

January 27, 2013

“No,” said the Obama Administration.

The cold, curt, cruel answer no doubt stung the tens of thousands of Americans who had petitioned the White House to support their idea for a new and important job-creating federal program. But as far as President Barack Obama is concerned, the federal government shan’t build a Death Star.

So, why not? Paul Shawcross, a budget official, noted the prohibitive cost, estimated at $850,000,000,000,000,000. (I wonder how much the estimate cost.)

“We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it,”...