Introduction
In brief, citizens and companies will get a loan from a bank but when the US Government needs a loan it issues debt by selling Treasury financial instruments to other federal government agencies, people, companies, state- and local-governments, as well as to such equivalents abroad (Bureau of the Fiscal Service, 2013). The deficit is the ratio of spending and revenues in one year, but the national debt or federal debt is the sum of all previous deficits, less whatever sum the federal government has subsequently repaid. Hence, every annual government deficit due to borrowing is added to the national (federal) debt. A government surplus can reduce some of the national debt. Annually, the national debt incurs interest to be paid by the government which is linked to overall government spending (National Priorities Project, 2016).
This paper will present and discuss the American national debt situation, propose two possible solutions and finally will endeavor to steer a conclusion as to which solution to follow.
Current national debt policy and issue
The United States (US) has a rising national or government debt (Nanto, 2011, p. 4), which in 2010 for example stood at $13.6 trillion (The Heritage Foundation et al., 2010) and in mid-2015 stood at $18.153 trillion (National Priorities Project, 2016). Combined with its future forecast (i.e. at $22.4 trillion by the end of this year of 2016, Chantrill, 2016) the national debt is unsustainable and the US is confronted
The growing national deficit is a looming problem in the United States now more than ever. The national debt is constantly increasing and government spending is out of control. If these issues are not solved then they could spell disaster for the nation’s economy when the infamous debt ceiling is finally reached. Currently the national policy on the debt is to continue raising the debt limit until a solution is found that is agreeable between both parties in Congress. The two main issues of over spending and the constant raising of the debts ceiling by Congress can both be resolved by government spending reform, balancing the federal budget and initiating pro-growth policies in order to increase the government’s tax revenue.
The recent clash between the president and congress about raising the debt ceiling made the front page on every newspaper throughout the country and generated controversy of unimaginable proportion among the citizens of the United States of America (College for Financial Planning). No macroeconomics issue is more controversial today than the impact of large public debt on the economy and on future generations, but, however, there appears to be a huge disconnect between professional, political leaders, and the ordinary public about the national debt and its impact on the current and future
Many United States' citizens are unaware of the country's current financial state. Many assume that one of the world's wealthiest countries could never be in debt. This is untrue however, and, in fact, the country with the greatest income per capita is in major debt. This study will examine possible solutions to reducing the United States' national budget deficit.
“Ten Trillion and Counting,” presented by Frontline provides quite a picture of America’s national debt as it surpasses the trillion dollar mark. They ponder the financial well being of current and future retirees while also exposing on how America got into this mess, and what the Obama administration plans to do during his term. America is able to close the gap year to year in its national budget by selling bonds and T-bills. Foreigner countries who continually purchase these obligations are beginning to grow. Much like the Bush administration, the Obama administration has started borrowing big with plans to cut the budget years down the road. It is clear for anyone to see that this borrowing and the future promises of cutting cannot go
Since the nation’s very beginning, it has carried a debt from the American Revolution. Only once in the entire U.S. history has been the debt zero, during President Andrew Jackson’s administration in the 1830’s. President Jackson set a budget like the other future and past presidents, but actually stayed within its parameters. However, the debt kept growing after his presidency and reached $18 trillion dollars today. The world has changed a lot since the 1830’s, the methods used during that period can no longer be the solution in 2015 because there are just too many factors that must be considered. The size and the population of the country have changed dramatically, foreign relationships are far more complicated and broader, and people’s expectations of the government are different.
We hear about the debt almost every day: news talks about it, politicians argue about it, even President Obama gives speeches on it. So what is the significance behind it? In this article I am going to explain briefly what the national debt is, how big it is, and what it has to do with us.
The total United States national debt is now over 19 trillion dollars and our Congressional leadership shows no signs of accomplishing any significant changes to make the situation better. That 19 trillion equates to almost $59,000 for every citizen of the United Sates. Sound financial practice is to not spend more money than you earn and borrow only for emergencies. It appears our Congress is incapable of adhering to sound financial practices as in the last fifty years there have only been five years when the U.S. recorded a budget surplus. Between 2009 and 2012 the U.S. added 5.5 trillion dollars to its national debt.
The United States has adopted a persona of uncontrollable spending policies, and short term solutions. As the spending trajectory continues in a downward spiral, fueled by unsustainable policies, and current tax revenues, the national debt continues to grow. For many years, the United States has implemented policies that failed to address mandatory spending costs, which, unfortunately continue to outpace the national economy. Furthermore, Congress has created a habit of introducing short term solutions in order to confront a long term issue of national debt. Although, there are many driving forces behind the U.S. fiscal problem, mandatory spending
With the United States only now beginning to recover from the throes of the Great Recession, the good American worker (armed with nightmarish memories of mass unemployment and bankruptcy) generally views large amounts of debt in a negative light, with television pundits regularly criticizing the federal government for the $18 trillion of national debt. Entire generations of Americans have been conditioned to view debtors as moochers and failures, unwilling to work hard in order to earn their own money. This negative opinion of debt is further compounded with the historic negative effects of debt: complete loss of assets, homelessness, and bankruptcy. However, contrary to public opinion, the national debt—and, in fact, all debts—will act
If you’re like most citizens, you are probably unaware of how severe the debt crisis is for the United States of America. An eye-opening article titled “America’s Debt Time Bomb” by John F. Ince, points out the two components of the financial crisis in the United States: the national debt and the current account trade deficit. Current estimates of the rising national debt in America are upwards of $19 trillion, and growing by over a billion a day; severely increasing the chances of a major economic crisis. For instance,” to finance domestic deficits, American policy makers have started to engage in dangerous borrowing patterns from overseas lenders” discloses Ince. When America borrows, we give foreigners a claim to the financial assets
Imaging yourself accepting you’re first credit card and immediately you begin to frivolously spend all the money your bank offers you. However, come to find out, you didn’t realize there was a consequence to your spending and now you are eagerly trying to pay back the money you owe with interest. Now take that scenario and apply it to our government spending in the United States. The author of “Going for Broke,” Michael Tanner, explains in his book the current financial crisis America is subjecting themselves to in the long run. Governmental officials of various political parties are turning blind eyes to the ever-increasing concern of stability in the United States. More of our taxing paying dollars are being used to chip away at an increasing debt that our government has no intent on fixing. The goal of this paper is to address Tanner’s issues with the growing economic deficit of the American people and its complacent government. Some questions Tanner emphasis on are: what can of debt does America have, where is the taxpayers' dollar being spent on, and what will happen to our economy if nothing is fixed?
National Debt in the U.S. has expanded rapidly throughout the years. In 2012-2015 it has increased by 70 percent. Most spendings are obviously spent by government in unnecessary facilities. Many people ask why is it affecting us and why has the government not issued a reform to solve it. This worries us because it doesn’t only involve an internal debt but a national debt as well.
We as americans seem to have a very serious problem. By doing some research I have been able to conclude some intresting ideas on what to do to fix our debt problem. First of all we need to stop bwing in wars, the more that we lose the more that we are going to be hurt and deeper in the hole of debt we will go. Second we need to stop paying our RETIRED U.S. presidents so much money it's not helping the fact that they get so much. We need to also need to stop buying so much imported goods. If we can accomplish these simpe tasks we can fix a lot of our debt problems and be a better country.
There are many original and ingenious opinions and analysis related to a topic on U.S. government budget deficit and government obligations and liabilities. As a result of the economic circumstances and current consequences of budget deficit in the United States there have been many controversial hypotheses of what future may bring to the American people. Therefore, I would like to face deeply inquire in to of how our countries government deficit and outstanding debt will affect its citizens and I also assume there are new challenges taking place as the consequence of rising government debt.
National debt is the biggest issue in the global politics. As we scrutinize the US national debt and its history; we can answer the most common questions from fellow citizens in the US on the National debt: what causes the national debt? Who do we owe money to? And how can the Government pay off the debt entirely? I strongly believe the national debt should be a major concern to all American citizens and tax payers, because they contribute to government spending a great deal. In 1790, Alexander Hamilton stated in the first report on the public credit that: "The United States debt, foreign and domestic, was the price of liberty. The faith of America has been repeatedly pledged for it... Among ourselves, the most enlightened friends of good government are those whose expectations of prompt payment are the highest. To justify and preserve their confidence; to promote the increasing respectability of the American name; to answer the calls of justice; to restore landed property to its due value; to furnish new resources, both to agriculture and commerce; to cement more closely the Union of the States; to add to their security against foreign attack; to establish public order on the basis of an upright and liberal policy; these are the great and invaluable ends to be secured by a proper and adequate provision, at the present period, for the support of public credit." (Treasury Direct, 2015). According to Mr. Phillip Mancusi on our interview, the United States had debt since the