To the editor:

Much ado in the nation's capital and across the land is made of the federal balanced budget and even a surplus. Coupled with this is an occasional mention of the unified budget. Without the unified budget, there is no balanced budget, much less a surplus.

At the very recent 8th District congressional candidate forum, the candidates were asked to explain the unified budget. They each gave a cursory explanation which, at best, fell somewhat short. The significant explanation illustrates how the money borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund, along with other trust funds, is handled as current income. Without the addition of the trust fund money, the budget is actually still in deficit. Briefly stated, in reality the federal budget is not balanced. There is no surplus.

This charade started in the 1960s and has been perpetuated in the face of numerous attempts by sincere congressmen to effect legislation to discontinue it. It is no longer a partisan issue, but has become a bipartisan deception and, by now, a national self-deception. Only recently has the Concord Coalition issued a complete description of this folly. We cannot effectively deal truthfully with our basic national concerns until we confront this fantasy.

GILBERT DEGENHARDT

Cape Girardeau