The government deficit is the difference between the amount of money the government spends and the amount it has the nerve to collect.

Sam Ewing was an American journalist and syndicated columnist known for wry, politically pointed one-liners about public policy and civic life. This quip belongs to the late–20th-century U.S. climate of recurring federal budget deficits and partisan fights over taxes versus spending—especially the rhetoric of promising popular programs while avoiding the political cost of raising revenue. Ewing’s formulation frames deficits less as an abstract accounting problem than as a product of political incentives: elected officials may find it easier to authorize expenditures than to “have the nerve” to levy taxes that visibly pay for them.

The line defines a deficit in plain arithmetic, then twists it into a critique of political courage. By substituting “has the nerve to collect” for “collects,” Ewing implies that revenue shortfalls are often chosen, not accidental: leaders may lack the will to impose taxes commensurate with spending commitments. The humor comes from treating taxation as an act requiring bravery, highlighting how unpopular taxes are compared with the popularity of government benefits. The quote thus functions as a compact argument for fiscal honesty—either reduce spending promises or accept the political responsibility of funding them.