Ezra Klein's WonkBook takes an in-depth look at what the GOP candidates would do with the deficit. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, all but Ron Paul are running anything close to what one would consider fiscally conservative. From the WonkBook:
-------------------------------------------------------------Rick Santorum: "...he would reduce spending by over $2 trillion between 2013 and 2021. Unfortunately, his tax cuts would increase debt by more than $6 trillion over the same period.
Net impact: $4.5 trillion in new debt, for a debt-to-GDP ratio of 105 percent."
Newt Gingrich:" ...estimates his spending cuts would shave $2.7 trillion off of the debt. But Gingrich would also spend $1.6 trillion dollars financing new private accounts for Social Security. And his tax cuts would cost more than $7 trillion.
Net impact: $7 trillion in new debt, for a debt-to-GDP ratio of, wait for it, 114 percent."
Mitt Romney:" ...more difficult to score. He saves $1.2 trillion by block granting Medicaid and cutting the federal workforce. But his new tax plan doesn't have enough detail to say how much it costs. ... estimates that if the plan isn't paid for at all, it will
add $2.6 trillion to the deficit, leaving Romney's debt-to-GDP at 96 percent."
Ron Paul: "His cuts to federal spending are incredibly severe, saving $7.5 trillion. ... his tax cuts cost $5.2 trillion. ... his plan to end the Federal Reserve would
rack up $400 billion in transition cost ... he cuts the deficit by $2.2 trillion, and brings debt-to-GDP down to 76 percent."
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