There has been much back and forth on budgetary matters vis a vis campaign 2012. I have just finished reading David Wessel, Red Ink: Inside the High-Stakes Politics of the Federal Budget. It is a clear and concise look at the federal budget, how it grew, proposed remedies for the deficit (and why they're so hard to implement), and the politics that keep us from resolving the problem. Wessel, a WSJ reporter and columnist, writes clearly and at times wittily. Not Paul Krugman (my favorite), but that would be a plus for some! Available on Kindle. Not long!