Some things never change................

To the Treasurer of the United States (unsent)

December 26, 1961

Dear Sir:
     I have been  reading the statement of December 13, 1961, the last one I have received.
     I'd appreciate it if you could find a way to place debits and credits so an ordinary citizen like myself could understand what you are trying to show.
     When I am through looking and figuring what you mean I have to set up my own statement.
     Why don't you set up yours so any citizen who understands debits from credits can know what you are doing.  I don't think the financial advisor of God Himself would be able to understand what the financial position of the United States is, by reading your statement.
     And I have been going through them and trying to find out what they mean for twenty-seven years!  I found out but it took all day and half the night to do it.  Make your statement a simple bookkeeping document so that any of us can understand it.

-Off the Record, The Private Papers of Harry S. Truman