Romney Plan to End Deficit Hits Poor as Well as Park Rangers

Mitt Romney’s promise to balance the budget without higher taxes while protecting retirees and spending more on defense means the rest of government -- such as meat inspections, food stamps, national parks and affordable-housing aid -- would need to be cut by more than a quarter.

Though Romney doesn’t spell out how he would achieve his fiscal goals, the arithmetic is clear, and it implies substantial pain for middle-class and low-income Americans.