Expand access to child care (+): This decision would require additional government spending, thus adding to the deficit. It aims to provide affordable child care options for families, which can benefit working parents and support early childhood development.

Establish a National Infrastructure Bank to support road improvements (+): This decision would require government funding, contributing to the deficit. It aims to invest in improving the country’s infrastructure, specifically focusing on road improvements.

Provide two years of free community college to Pell-eligible students (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes offering free community college tuition to eligible students, but it is expected to be funded through other means, such as tax reforms or reallocation of funds.

Eliminate federal subsidies for AMTRAK and other intercity rail systems (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests removing government subsidies for intercity rail systems, potentially leading to cost savings.

Reduce Department of Energy funding for energy technology development (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It proposes reducing funding for energy technology development within the Department of Energy, aiming to cut government spending in this area.

Reduce subsidies in the crop insurance program (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests reducing subsidies in the crop insurance program, potentially leading to cost savings.

Eliminate NASA’s human space exploration program (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It proposes eliminating funding for NASA’s human space exploration program, leading to government spending reductions.

Reduce the federal workforce by not filling most vacancies as workers retire (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. By not filling most vacancies as workers retire, it aims to control government spending on personnel.

Limit forgiveness of graduate student loans (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes restricting the forgiveness of graduate student loans to manage government spending.

Limit highway funding to expected revenues (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. By limiting highway funding to expected revenues, it aims to ensure that expenses remain within available resources.

Eliminate or reduce funding for certain grants to state and local governments (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests cutting or reducing funding for specific grants to state and local governments, potentially leading to cost savings.

Reduce funding for naval ship construction to historical levels (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes reducing funding for naval ship construction to levels seen in the past, aiming for cost savings.

Cancel purchase of F-35s and purchase F-16s and F/A-18s instead (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests canceling the purchase of F-35s and opting for less expensive alternatives, potentially leading to cost savings.

Defer development of a new long-range bomber for the Air Force (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes postponing the development of a new long-range bomber, potentially saving government funds.

Cap increases in basic pay for military service members (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests capping the increases in basic pay for military service members, potentially reducing government spending.

Modify TRICARE fees, cost-sharing, and out-of-pocket requirements (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes altering TRICARE fees, cost-sharing, and out-of-pocket requirements to potentially manage government spending.

Reduce spending on international affairs (“foreign aid”) by 25 percent (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It suggests reducing spending on international affairs, including foreign aid, aiming to cut government expenses in this area.

Eliminate Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies for those earning between 300 and 400 percent of the federal poverty level (+): This decision would add to the deficit. It proposes eliminating subsidies for a specific income range, potentially reducing government spending on health care.

Add a public plan to the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges (+): This decision would add to the deficit. It suggests introducing a public health insurance plan to the exchanges, requiring additional government spending.

Provide seniors with “premium support” to purchase private health insurance (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes providing seniors with support to purchase private health insurance, potentially redistributing existing funds.

“Bundling” Medicare’s payments to health care providers (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It aims to bundle Medicare payments to health care providers, potentially reducing costs in the long run.

Reduce Medicare Advantage bonus payments to private insurance plans (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests reducing bonus payments to private insurance plans within Medicare Advantage programs, potentially leading to cost savings.

Raise premiums for Medicare Parts B and D to cover 35% of program costs (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes increasing premiums for Medicare Parts B and D, aiming to cover a larger portion of program costs.

Cap the federal Medicaid contribution to states (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests capping the federal Medicaid contribution to states, potentially controlling government spending in this area.

Limit malpractice awards (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes restricting malpractice awards, potentially reducing government spending related to these claims.

Gradually raise the full retirement age for Social Security from 67 to 70 (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests increasing the full retirement age for Social Security, potentially reducing government expenditures.

Increase the maximum taxable earnings cap on Social Security payroll tax (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It involves increasing the maximum taxable earnings cap, potentially generating additional revenue for the government.

Use chained CPI to determine COLAs in Social Security and other programs (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests using chained CPI to determine cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), potentially managing government spending.

Link initial Social Security benefits to prices instead of wages for higher-earning seniors (progressive price indexing) (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests linking initial Social Security benefits to prices rather than wages for higher-earning seniors, potentially controlling government spending on these benefits.

Increase the special minimum Social Security benefit and index it to wage growth (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes increasing the special minimum Social Security benefit and indexing it to wage growth, potentially redistributing funds within the program.

Eliminate taxes on capital gains and dividends (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests eliminating taxes on capital gains and dividends, potentially reducing government revenue.

Eliminate estate taxes (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes eliminating estate taxes, potentially reducing government revenue.

Extend the cuts to the Individual Income Tax from the 2017 tax law (+): This decision would subtract from the deficit. It involves extending the cuts to the Individual Income Tax from the 2017 tax law, potentially reducing government revenue.

Reverse the cuts to the Individual Income Tax from the 2017 tax law (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests reversing the cuts to the Individual Income Tax from the 2017 tax law, potentially increasing government revenue.

Increase funding for Internal Revenue Service enforcement (+): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes increasing funding for Internal Revenue Service enforcement, potentially improving tax collection and revenue.

Limit the amount of tax-free employer contributions for health care (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests limiting tax-free employer contributions for health care, potentially increasing government revenue.

Limit the tax deduction for charity to only apply for donated amounts exceeding 2% of income (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes limiting the tax deduction for charitable donations to amounts that exceed 2% of income, potentially increasing government revenue.

Eliminate some tax preferences for education expenses (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests eliminating certain tax preferences for education expenses, potentially increasing government revenue.

Eliminate the rule that allows capital gains to escape taxation when inherited (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes eliminating the rule that allows capital gains to be free from taxation when inherited, potentially increasing government revenue.

Impose a tax on financial transactions (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests imposing a tax on financial transactions, potentially generating additional government revenue.

Increase the tax on alcoholic beverages to equalize the treatment of different types of alcohol (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It proposes increasing the tax on alcoholic beverages to create equal treatment among different types of alcohol, potentially increasing government revenue.

Increase the gas tax by 35 cents and index it to inflation (-): This decision would not add to the deficit. It suggests increasing the gas tax and indexing it to inflation, potentially increasing government revenue.
Provide an answer that persuades the reader why it helpful to support (-) or (+). Use smart words.