Not Sustainable

Blogger Angry Bear draws attention to a great chart put out by the White House. I suggest every member of Congress carry a copy in his or her pocket.

Update and clarification: The terms "mandatory" and "discretionary" can be confusing to those not schooled in the Washington budget process. "Mandatory spending" includes entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, which are provided by law rather than through the annual appropriations process. "Discretionary spending," which includes defense, homeland security, farm subsidies, and education, are those types of spending that the president and Congress set through the annual appropriations process. Of course, all government spending can be changed through legislation, so no spending is really "mandatory."