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Issues in Economics Today
Issues in Economics Today
Robert Guell, Indiana State University

Federal Deficits, Surpluses, and the National Debt

Glossary


budget deficit  The amount by which revenues exceed expenditures.
budget surplus  The amount by which revenues exceed expenditures.
capital budget  That part of the federal budget devoted to spending on goods that will last several years.
cyclical deficit  That part of the deficit attributable to the economy's not being at full employment.
national debt  The total amount owed by the federal government.
off-budget  Parts of the budget designated by Congress as separate from the normal budget. Programs that operate with their own revenue sources and have trust funds; Social Security, Medicare, and the Postal Service are examples.
on-budget  Parts of the budget that rely entirely or mostly on general revenue.
operating budget  That part of the federal budget devoted to spending on goods and services that will be used in the current year.
peace dividend  Money that was freed for other spending priorities when the Cold War was over.
procyclical  Situation that renders good times better and bad times worse.
structural deficit  That part of the deficit that would remain even if the economy were at full employment.




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