Topic: Converts Medicare

Federal budget mess: Six ways to fix it

Surprise! It turns out America's problem with runaway budget deficits is solvable, after all. That, at least, is the opinion of some prominent think thanks that have been offering ready-made blueprints. As Republicans and Democrats seek to boost the limit on federal borrowing while reining in future deficits, here are six proposals, ranging from liberal to conservative, that grew out of a "solutions initiative" sponsored by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.