Since we now have a surplus in the budget, the goal of those caps has been accomplished. It is widely recognized that the caps are now outdated, unduly restricting spending for many important domestic needs. These cuts are what constitute the on-budget surplus during the same years. It is also almost certain that these cuts will not be distributed evenly. Others have estimated the cuts to domestic discretionary programs to be even higher.
Experts can debate the actual size of the cuts.
There is no question that as a nation we have the resources to continue our support for domestic discretionary programs. It is simply an issue of priorities. The picture for domestic discretionary programs is equally dismal in the long run. Again, most, if not all the cuts will need to come from domestic discretionary programs. This surplus should be used to support a range of domestic investments, including some that President Clinton has identified.