The object of the game is for you to balance the budget according to your values or goals, such as emphasis on national defense, health and wellness, economic stimulus, etc. You then play various cards from different categories representing sectors of the budget including among others, defense, school and kids, health care, and environment.

You're supposed to pay attention to the deficit meter and think about what impact your choices will have on future generations. You can then print out your budget and use it as a discussion point with others and even perhaps your elected representative.

We're happy to report in our own game we balanced the budget through 2028 and the budget bust point would not occur until 2070. We did this by repealing the Bush tax cuts, saving money on defense by having the troops come home soon, and raised taxes on the top 1% of wealthy Americans. We also raised the retirement age to 67, cut school lunch for kids who are not poor, and increased spending on mass transit.

So what's the big deal about balancing the budget?