Who’s To Blame For The U.S Spending Deficit?

The Montana congressional delegation remains at odds over how to deal with the federal spending deficit in wake of a rating agency's decision to downgrade the credit rating of long-term U.S. debt.

Standard & Poor's largely blamed "the difficulties in bridging the gulf between the political parties" in reaching its decision.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester says he agrees the party differences and dysfunction need to be put aside.

Both he and U.S. Sen. Max Baucus favor a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases in order to bridge the spending gulf. Both Democrats say a balanced approach is needed.

Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg — locked in a race to take Tester's Senate seat — places blame solely on the "big spenders" in Washington D.C.