The federal government
borrowed 46 cents of every dollar it has spent so far in fiscal 2013,
which began Oct. 1, according to the latest data the Congressional
Budget Office released Friday.
The government
notched a $172 billion deficit in November, and is already nearly $300
billion in the hole through the first two months of fiscal year 2013,
underscoring just how deep the government’s budget problems are as lawmakers try to negotiate a year-end deal to avoid a budgetary “fiscal cliff.”
Higher spending on mandatory items such as Social Security, Medicare
and interest on the debt led the way in boosting spending compared with
the previous year, which also highlights the trouble spots Congress and President Obama are struggling to grapple with.
All
sides agreed to discretionary spending cuts and automatic spending cuts
last year, but have been unable to agree on ways to control entitlement
costs, which are the long-term drivers of deficits and debt.
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