The answered questions can be seen below! Have a question of your own? The question-form can be found at the bottom of the page!
What is the difference between the debt and the deficit? - Hannah
When the government spends more money than it collects, it runs a deficit for that fiscal year. The debt is what the government owes when deficits add up over time.
To Kelvin's brief analysis of the cost implications of Obama's (or anyone's) comprehensive healthcare plan: isn't there a tremendous long-term cost savings to be had from a system that provides universal healthcare, i.e. the savings associated with preventive care and emphasis on wellness as opposed to treating the millions of uninsured AFTER they've become seriously ill? In other words, won't we pay more up front but end up reaping significant cost savings over time with a universal approach? - Robert
The are potentially huge long term cost savings from a system that provides universal health care. However, it depends on the structure of the system and the populace. A system that provides universal health care might save money by preventing serious disease but it might also cause further waste of resources and be more expensive. Universal health care abroad has seen both success, such as lower costs and higher general health, and failures, such as long wait lines and bankrupt hospitals.