The deficit plot is shown as "Declining" because it is a negative number.

The bigger the deficit, the more the line would "decline"; therefore, the graph makes it look like a bigger deficit is a good thing. (Very Misleading because it is completely false).

My biggest concern in looking at the chart is: Why must spending go up and up and up?

What happens to that increasing spending if the reciepts suddenly stop increasing and actually start to drop off? Oh wait...Your chart shows that: Spending keeps increasing, even when receipts start to falter. In fact, spending probably increases even more as the do-gooders in Congress pass feel-good legislation that is supposed to help the country through the economic downturn that led to a decrease in reciepts.

All I got to say is, the National Debt is an unnecessary burdon on our economy. Democrats and Republicans both are to blame for the National Debt.

The politicians in Washington are crack-whores addicted to spending money they don't have. The Republicans, if they lose control of the House and/or Senate will have this issue (aka themselves) to blame.