Balanced budget???

Moderator Bob Shieffer questioned the candidates about balancing the budget.

Has no one read Keynes???

We're facing an economic meltdown.
Restricting government spending to balance the budget is NOT the Rx.
(I believe someone has referred to this prescription as "neo-Hooverism.")

Senator Obama has acknowledged this - if not tonight, at least in a previous campaign speech. He suggested government-funded public works projects to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.
I'm sad that he didn't pursue this during tonight's debate.

A past CEO of the Fortune 100 company for which I once worked used to preach, "spending our way out of the recession." The idea was to be ready for boom times again with really great products for the resurgent market. As a rule, it worked. (Note: on very many policies I thought this particular CEO was a virus from which the company would be lucky to recover, but on this point I couldn't argue with him.) In the 20+ years I was with the company, it never experienced a losing quarter!!! (... and this success was real - not dependent on funny accounting!)

Balance the budget? Now? Today???
You've got to be kidding!

Stop the madness!!!