The deficit personalized

A friend sent this comment to me today:

I think that it is good to have an active, excited Republican party that is at least claiming to be for small government, and to act Republican, as compared to their actions for the past decade. Perhaps they will actually act like they believe what they are saying. When I hear $480 billion dollar deficit this year, I think another $25,000 of expense for [my wife] and me.

I listened to some intelligent discussion of the US budget deficit this morning, and my reaction to it was not that it was going to personally cost me money. My reaction is that it's bad for this country and it's bad for American citizens. We will suffer because of this - the country will suffer and the people will suffer. We will have fewer opportunites because of this. My children's future opportunities will be narrowed because of this. Do I care that it will cost me money? I guess, but it's such a larger issue than that. The ramifications are so much bigger than my personal situation.