What do you feel is the CORE PROBLEM with the United States Government?

Spending, both Democrats, and Republicans are guilty of over spending. They spend money that we DO NOT have. That was my main gripe with Bush, and Obama. We cannot keep going to China in order to fund projects that we cannot afford in the first place. How many people have honestly, paid off the debt they have while growing their deficit? The way I got out of debt ( I just owe on my house, and 1 car) was to pay off my debts without spending more than I made....simple. I make a monthly spread sheet of my income, I give a nice chunk to my church and local charities, pay my bills (water, power, phone, house payment, and car payment) and save the rest. I started by doing away with my "wants" every cable channel, down graded my cellphone plan, bought "off brand" products, did away with credit cards, etc. Then I gathered all of my bills, looked at the amount and started at the smallest amount and worked my way up. Now I have more money than I did, I pay cash (debit card) for what I want. I do not spend more that what I budgeted for, $50 a month for clothes, $250 for food. If I do not use all of it, it rolls into the next month. My wife and I make around $48,000 a year, but live on less, so we can "play" when we retire early.