We're engaged in an expensive war overseas, we're spending more than we take in, and even the rosiest economic predictions forecast annual budget deficits in the range of $300 billion for years to come. It matters because our debt is a tax on our children, who'll have to repay with interest the money we are borrowing now. It also matters because deficit spending can also drive up interest rates, making it even harder on families already struggling to pay for health care and education. Mark Udall