"You know, the first rule of holes is to stop digging and it is now high time that this Congress and this administration stop digging us further into debt," said Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., the Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy. "We need for this administration to bring some leadership and some discipline to the out-of-control spending going on in the Republican-led Congress and the administration."

Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, said an $8 trillion debt was inconceivable five years ago.

"Today, it is a harsh reality," Boswell said. "Sadly though, it is a reality the Republican leadership of this Congress is unwilling to face. They would rather leave it to our children and grandchildren to deal with."

Matheson tells the story of how his 6-year-old son, obviously concerned over hearing dad talk about the federal budget deficit talk and the $27,000-per-person price tag, came to him and said, "Dad, I don't have that kind of money."

And he just couldn't understand how anyone could spend what they didn't have.

"Maybe Congress ought to talk to a few more 6-year-olds to bring some rational thought to this country," Matheson said.

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E-mail: spang@desnews.com