What is this whole focus on cutting things? It's not really going to help increase demand, which in turn will actually lead to more deflation; if one takes a look at the most recent charts released by the Fed, one can see that the rate of inflation has hit a plateau. We are right to fear deflation; why cut everything?
This is a skewed view... and the NYT is also assuming that consumer response to fiscal policy will have a stronger lasting effect than other alternatives; unfortunately, the truth is that government/Fed policy and actions or direct injections into the economy would lead to more long term gain.
In fact, even if the NYT actions proposed here would cut the deficit, they would not help the economy and would probably send us into a second recession. What there should be a focus on is increasing loaning in the form of the purchasing of less liquid but more risky securities on the part of the Fed, which will keep the federal funds rate steady but increase consumer confidence and thereby increasing spending and loaning, which affects two sectors of the economy.
Slashing everything without thinking of anything else is an extremely skewed view of how to fix the economy. And here I thought NYT was an unbiased company. :p
Anyway, the only things I agree with are cutting foreign aid, cutting farm subsidies, reducing the presence in Iraq and Afghanistan (the Canadian Defense Ministry reports that for every Afghani death, 3-5 new Taliban members are created), and eliminating loopholes. Taxes should be kept the same though, and to be honest right now leading indicators are pretty strong... and the GDP for the past few months has shown exceptional growth. What's the NYT doing releasing this now?