For taxpayers who are alarmed about the federal deficit's rate of growth in recent years, a look at the short-term numbers for the current year will offer little consolation.
New data from the Congressional Budget Office indicates that for the first six months of fiscal year 2010, the government ran a $714 billion deficit. One potential bright spot here is the fact that this figure was $67 billion than that recorded at this time last year.
The report also noted that federal outlays and revenues had fallen by a respective 6 and 4 percent margin over the past year. Much of the current improvement was said to be fueled by a reduction in the projected cost of the government's Troubled Asset Relief (TARP) program.
Looking ahead though, the federal government may eventually find itself forced to make potentially unpopular and difficult decisions to cope with a budget deficit that in time could threaten the nation's credit rating.
For those who are unconvinced that the current recovery will be strong or lead to substantial long-term improvements, one solid investment option to consider may be dealer gold.
