House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, in the build up to the 2006 Congressional election, "pledged that if Democrats succeed next year in rolling back President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, the money would be used to reduce the federal deficit not for new spending." (33). Republicans are also preaching better fiscal restraint. At a meeting before southern Republicans in March 2006, "the party's potential candidates for 2008 called for cutting or slowing federal spending across the board and retooling bedrock entitlement programs Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that have become a drain on the federal treasury." (34)

The will to act on such pledges remains to be seen. The Republican controlled House and Senate have consistent voted with President Bush on his tax cuts without off-setting cuts in spending. Democrats have also not voted against tax cuts. In December 2005 the House passed three tax cuts in one day amounting to close to $100 billion over 5 years. "The three measures passed overwhelmingly, with virtually all Democrats voting with Republicans and with hardly any mention of their impact on the deficit." (35). And as recently as the fall of 2005, then-House Majority Leader Tom Delay described federal spending as having been pared down pretty good, and said it was not one of his top priorities. (36) Election year rhetoric aside, there remains substantial question as to either party's willingness to take significant steps to reduce the deficit.

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