This week President Obama’s deficit commission released its blueprint on how it proposes the U.S. should cut nearly $4 trillion in deficits over the next decade. The proposals, which include curbing increases in Social Security benefits, cutting defense spending, and eliminating billions in popular tax breaks for individuals and businesses, are causing some Congressional leaders to balk. According to economists, however, the plan is on the right track. Reducing discretionary spending and eliminating earmarks may sound promising, but they only affect 12 percent of the budget, while Defense and entitlement spending account for 23 and 56 percent respectively, according to the Office of Management and Budget. Ignoring the long-term impact of these programs on the budget will ensure failure. Unfortunately, most lawmakers consider cutting these types of programs to be political suicide. However, new research published by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University finds that not only have these types of cuts been hugely successful over a relatively short period of time, but many countries, including the U.S. have not suffered negative political backlash from them.