> Not in my lifetime

Were you alive in the mid to late 90s? A string of balanced budgets and surpluses. There are new problems and no dot com bubble right now but most Americans were alive the last time we had balanced budgets. It is quite possible.

Yes, it does happen from time to time coincidentally usually in the lead-up to financial crises…

It became unbalanced by choice: a recreational war in the Middle East and tax cuts. The dotcom bubble helped, but those trillions in debt were not caused by people paying less capital gains tax on pets.com sales.

Yes, Democrats balance the budget, then Republicans sneak in and break the bank with wars, or deficit spending.

I remember it well.

It was possible. That’s not the same as saying it is still possible at this debt level with the massive shortfalls in social security and other entitlements.

I do not think it’s possible without also seriously eroding the debt burden through sustained higher inflation. That horse has left the barn.