Tea Party has it backwards on falling federal deficits

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

It's no wonder that former Reagan Treasury official Bruce Bartlett aptly concluded, ""For an antitax group," Bartlett aptly concluded, "they don't know much about taxes."

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

But despite the crushing defeat on the government shutdown this week and their years-long reign of error, the Tea Party is celebrating Professor Kahan's surprising survey.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

Long after the three-corner hats, Don't Tread on Me flags and Obama-as-Hitler posters are gone, history will remember the Tea Partiers for having been wrong on virtually everything.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Unfortunately, basic math continues to pose an insurmountable challenge for the Tea Party faithful.

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

That 2009 Politifact Lie of the Year was succeeded in 2010 by another Affordable Care Act myth, "a government takeover of health care."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

Long after the three-corner hats, Don't Tread on Me flags and Obama-as-Hitler posters are gone, history will remember the Tea Partiers for having been wrong on virtually everything.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

So much for the need to water the Tree of Liberty with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

Barack Obama isn't a Muslim and wasn't born in Kenya (or any place other than Hawaii).

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

As a jubilant Glenn Beck put it, "Yale researcher learns that the Tea Party is a lot smarter than he thought."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

As a jubilant Glenn Beck put it, "Yale researcher learns that the Tea Party is a lot smarter than he thought."

That 2009 Politifact Lie of the Year was succeeded in 2010 by another Affordable Care Act myth, "a government takeover of health care."

Barack Obama isn't a Muslim and wasn't born in Kenya (or any place other than Hawaii).

They don't know much about taxes or pretty much anything else.

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

But despite the crushing defeat on the government shutdown this week and their years-long reign of error, the Tea Party is celebrating Professor Kahan's surprising survey.

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

Long after the three-corner hats, Don't Tread on Me flags and Obama-as-Hitler posters are gone, history will remember the Tea Partiers for having been wrong on virtually everything.

That 2009 Politifact Lie of the Year was succeeded in 2010 by another Affordable Care Act myth, "a government takeover of health care."

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Tea Party has gotten their math exactly backwards.

Barack Obama isn't a Muslim and wasn't born in Kenya (or any place other than Hawaii).

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

And the dreaded Obamacare won't increase the national debt but instead is forecast to reduce it.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

It's no wonder that former Reagan Treasury official Bruce Bartlett aptly concluded, ""For an antitax group," Bartlett aptly concluded, "they don't know much about taxes."

As a quick review shows, almost every sound bite was "not intended to be a factual statement."

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

It's no wonder that former Reagan Treasury official Bruce Bartlett aptly concluded, ""For an antitax group," Bartlett aptly concluded, "they don't know much about taxes."

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

Smarter than rocks, perhaps, but dumber than trees.

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Both are wrong; the budget deficit is projected to fall this year from $1.1 trillion to $642 billion.

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

It's no wonder that former Reagan Treasury official Bruce Bartlett aptly concluded, ""For an antitax group," Bartlett aptly concluded, "they don't know much about taxes."

But despite the crushing defeat on the government shutdown this week and their years-long reign of error, the Tea Party is celebrating Professor Kahan's surprising survey.

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

And by 2010, federal tax revenue as a percentage of the U.S. economy had plummeted to the lowest level since 1950.

Barack Obama isn't a Muslim and wasn't born in Kenya (or any place other than Hawaii).

That picture of deficits by fiscal year is reflected in the chart above.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

The actual deficit was $1.4 trillion thanks to lower than expected tax revenue.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

Both are wrong; the budget deficit is projected to fall this year from $1.1 trillion to $642 billion.

Smarter than rocks, perhaps, but dumber than trees.

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

The actual deficit was $1.4 trillion thanks to lower than expected tax revenue.

But despite the crushing defeat on the government shutdown this week and their years-long reign of error, the Tea Party is celebrating Professor Kahan's surprising survey.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

Smarter than rocks, perhaps, but dumber than trees.

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

This past May, CBO predicted the shortfall for FY 2013 (which ended September 30) would shrink to $642 billon on spending of $3.46 trillion.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

This past May, CBO predicted the shortfall for FY 2013 (which ended September 30) would shrink to $642 billon on spending of $3.46 trillion.

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

As a quick review shows, almost every sound bite was "not intended to be a factual statement."

Long after the three-corner hats, Don't Tread on Me flags and Obama-as-Hitler posters are gone, history will remember the Tea Partiers for having been wrong on virtually everything.

As a jubilant Glenn Beck put it, "Yale researcher learns that the Tea Party is a lot smarter than he thought."

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

That 2009 Politifact Lie of the Year was succeeded in 2010 by another Affordable Care Act myth, "a government takeover of health care."

The actual deficit was $1.4 trillion thanks to lower than expected tax revenue.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Tea Party has gotten their math exactly backwards.

Barack Obama isn't a Muslim and wasn't born in Kenya (or any place other than Hawaii).

The actual deficit was $1.4 trillion thanks to lower than expected tax revenue.

As a quick review shows, almost every sound bite was "not intended to be a factual statement."

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

As a jubilant Glenn Beck put it, "Yale researcher learns that the Tea Party is a lot smarter than he thought."

This past May, CBO predicted the shortfall for FY 2013 (which ended September 30) would shrink to $642 billon on spending of $3.46 trillion.

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

That picture of deficits by fiscal year is reflected in the chart above.

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

(The deficit, that is, the yearly difference between what government spends and what it raises in tax revenue, is not to be confused with the national debt, which is the running total of federal deficits and surpluses over the entire history of the Republic.)

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Both are wrong; the budget deficit is projected to fall this year from $1.1 trillion to $642 billion.

As a recent Bloomberg survey confirmed, the entire Tea Party is completely united in their mistaken belief that the rapidly shrinking federal budget deficit is instead growing larger.

And by 2010, federal tax revenue as a percentage of the U.S. economy had plummeted to the lowest level since 1950.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

After all, President Obama and the newly elected Democratic majorities in the House and Senate had just delivered tax relief for 95 percent of working households with the largest two-year tax cut in American history as part of the $787 billion stimulus program.

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

So much for the need to water the Tree of Liberty with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

They rejoiced at the findings of an analysis by Yale professor Dan Kahan which revealed that Tea Baggers "appear to be slightly, but solidly more scientifically literate than non-tea party members."

There were (and are) no "death panels.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

So much for the need to water the Tree of Liberty with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

They don't know much about taxes or pretty much anything else.

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

Tax cuts don't "pay for themselves" and the 2009 stimulus did not fail to "create a single job" or "make the economy worse."

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

On the eve of the 2010 midterm elections, the New York Times asked, "What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?"

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

The past week of misery and defeat for the Tea Party did offer one ray of sunshine for the GOP's hardest of the hardliners.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

That was a very good question because "in a New York Times/CBS News Poll last month, fewer than one in 10 respondents knew that the Obama administration had lowered taxes for most Americans."

Of course, this isn't the first time the Tea Party has gotten their math exactly backwards.

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

On Friday, Al Hunt summed up the deficit delusion gripping the Republican Party in general and its Ted Cruz wing in particular: Two-thirds of regular Republicans believe the federal budget deficit has grown this year and 93 percent of Tea Party Republicans agree.

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

That picture of deficits by fiscal year is reflected in the chart above.

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

That finding echoed an earlier CBS News poll which showed that the American people in general and the Tea Party in particular believed the fiscal equivalent of the sun orbiting the earth: Of people who support the grassroots, "Tea Party" movement, only 2 percent think taxes have been decreased, 46 percent say taxes are the same, and a whopping 44 percent say they believe taxes have gone up.

Long after the three-corner hats, Don't Tread on Me flags and Obama-as-Hitler posters are gone, history will remember the Tea Partiers for having been wrong on virtually everything.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Tea Party has gotten their math exactly backwards.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

Smarter than rocks, perhaps, but dumber than trees.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

The Bush recession which began in December 2007 did not become the "Obama Bear Market" months before the Democrat even won the election, let alone take the oath of office.

That was more than a little ironic.

So much for the need to water the Tree of Liberty with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Tea Party has gotten their math exactly backwards.

As a quick review shows, almost every sound bite was "not intended to be a factual statement."

Whether measured in dollars or as a percentage of the U.S. economy, the CBO rightly concluded that "the federal budget deficit has shrunk noticeably in fiscal year 2013, and it is projected to continue to decline for the next few years."

This past May, CBO predicted the shortfall for FY 2013 (which ended September 30) would shrink to $642 billon on spending of $3.46 trillion.

As you will recall, just weeks after Obama's 2009 inauguration, thousands of the GOP's furious faithful turned out for Tax Day Tea Party rallies, events funded by conservative groups like Americans for Prosperity and Freedom works and promoted by Fox News, displaying signs proclaiming "Taxed Enough Already" and "No Taxation without Representation."

In the real America, spending has been flat and annual budget deficits have plummeted since Barack Obama first took the oath of office on January 20, 2009.

Just two weeks before in its last forecast of the Bush presidency, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated Uncle Sam would spend about $3.54 trillion and run up a deficit of roughly $1.19 trillion for fiscal year 2009 which began the previous October 1.

That was more than a little ironic.

Both are wrong; the budget deficit is projected to fall this year from $1.1 trillion to $642 billion.