Predictions
This year's deficit (2004), back in August, had been predicted to be $480 billion. Now it's predicted at $477 billion. The deficit predicted last August for 2003, $401 billion, turned out to actually be $375 billion.
It wasn't that long ago that the CBO had predicted solid surpluses through the whole next decade. So it goes.
And all of this is based on static calculations. Wait for it.
However, that being said, if we can't get a handle on spending, including entitlements, economic growth isn't going to do the job by itself.