The discrepancy between taxing and spending -- The politics of taxing -- Raising taxes -- Cutting taxes -- The politics of spending -- The growth of government spending -- Reducing spending -- Deficits and the american democracy

The United States provides a classic example of a bottom-up system of federalism. It was created in 1787 when representatives of the then 13 colonies convened to ratify a constitution under which both the central government and the states would be sovereign entities. Within certain...