Deficit Spending: the New Voodoo Economics?

Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) summarized Congress' apparent attitude toward deficit spending in this question/statement directed toward Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner:

Do we really need to balance the budget in order to reduce our future [] debt burden, or can we reduce our debt burden while still running deficits? Because some people would have you believe that the two must go hand in hand.

I'm of the personal opinion that deficit spending tends to increase the national debt, but what do I know?