The Obama administration now projects the nation's 10-year deficit at $9 trillion. That's $2 trillion, or nearly 30 percent, more than it estimated earlier this year. And the new debt figure may be too rosy.

In February, the White House told the nation Congress had to pass a $787 billion stimulus package to keep unemployment from passing 8 percent. Today the jobless rate is 9.4 percent and likely headed toward double digits.

Given that record, it's no wonder that millions of Americans are balking at President Obama's assertion that health care reform can be achieved without adding to the deficit -- especially a reform package expected to cost $1.5 trillion over a decade.

Granted that budget and economic forecasting is far from an exact science. Remember, no one...