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U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio reaches 123%

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Re: U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio reaches 123%

#31

Not an American, but I would argue that this level while little bit of a concern is not a huge issue for a superpower that borrows in its own currency and has the military and economic might to crush any party (sovereign or corporate) attempting move away from that system. You guys are too powerful.

Some things feel impossible until they happen.

Re: U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio reaches 123%

#33

Not an American, but I would argue that this level while little bit of a concern is not a huge issue for a superpower that borrows in its own currency and has the military and economic might to crush any party (sovereign or corporate) attempting move away from that system. You guys are too powerful.

Bingo! Any country borrowing in its own sovereign currency cannot default on debt in that currency, unless it actively decides to do so for political reasons.

Re: U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio reaches 123%

#35

Not an American, but I would argue that this level while little bit of a concern is not a huge issue for a superpower that borrows in its own currency and has the military and economic might to crush any party (sovereign or corporate) attempting move away from that system. You guys are too powerful.

Some of that power comes from things like US Treasuries being rock solid, and this is the sort of thing that could change that. There are other players out there and other ways the world could trade and fiance.

There's a LOT of reasons for them to not want to do that, and the status quo benefits a lot of other powerful players as well, but screwing up treasuries would be a quick way to change that math.

Re: U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio reaches 123%

#38

It always gives me an ominous feeling to see these headlines. It's like we're walking out further and further on a frozen lake. "Hey, it's OK, the ice hasn't cracked yet! Let's keep going!"

Total debt / GDP is the wrong metric for that. There's no limit to the serviceability of debt in a currency you print.

It makes more sense to conceptualise it as the total size of a giant savings account run by the government.

We are walking further out on the ice but that is measured more in other ways - with harder metrics like inflation, access to cheap energy, resources, industrial density and capabilities and access to technology - not this headline number.

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