U.S. Debt Hits $40T as America's Borrowing Binge Continues

Post by JKCalhoun » Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 12:37 PM UTC

myrmidon wrote: post #148

Gud wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What the USA needs is more decentralisation and direct democracy. Why has the federal state accumulated $40T debt?

Because it is politically much easier to just spend on medicare, social security and military than it is to raise taxes to cover that spending? Interest on debt is already a double-digit percentage of spending, so the problem gets worse by itself. And honestly: How many people in the US would actually change party only because of irresponsible spending? In my view, this is like priority number 4 at best for most peop…

Post by JKCalhoun » Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 12:47 PM UTC

rbanffy wrote: post #136

DoesntMatter22 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no practical difference. Both parties are glad to drive the car off a cliff

The big difference is that, at the current rate, economic collapse of the US will happen in my lifetime, and I’m almost 60. I wasn’t looking forward to that kind of planetary upheaval for my retirement.

Post by JKCalhoun » Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 12:53 PM UTC

blooalien wrote: post #124

rhelz wrote: post #3

By the time Trump leaves office, the whole federal government will be completely trashed, up to and including the East Wing of the White House being torn down to a hole in the ground. I've never felt so alienated from the leaders of my industry, from my politicians, and from my fellow citizens. Ya'll should have known better. It is the information age, all ignorance is willful ignorance.

> I've never felt so alienated from the leaders of my industry, from my politicians, and from my fellow citizens. Ya'll should have known better. It is the information age, all ignorance is willful ignorance. ^^^ 1000% this right here. Right there with ya (sadly)... Not at all the world we were promised as children. "Star Trek" vs "Mad Max"/"Terminator"? Humanity chose the latter. We ain't gonna survive long enough t…

Post by JKCalhoun » Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 1:01 PM UTC

oth001 wrote: post #34

qeternity wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is still people, not money, who votes for them over and over again…

Well when the choice is between two corrupt and/or bribed politicians...

Post by wookmaster » Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 1:18 PM UTC

0xy wrote: post #24

rhelz wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How embarrassing is it to welcome foreign dignitaries to a building which has been partially torn down? I man, if he actually had replaced it with a ballroom, that would be different. But that's not what we get from Trump. He can't even maintain a reflecting pool--we're not going to get a ballroom. No, he's going to leave the White house much worse than he found it. Which is his style.

There's a long history of the reflecting pool having severe algae issues dating back to the early 2000s. Obama spent $30m on repairs that ultimately failed. Is your argument that the pool continuing to fail as it has done under successive governments is exclusively the fault of the admin that has far larger and far more serious points to criticism them on?