The National Debt

[wdmso]

Unfunded wars in Iraqi Afghanistan Syria and associated private contracts no bid contracts and ..miltary spending in general . tax cuts lower tax receipts haven't helped .. don't see foreign aid as a big issue in the grand scheme of things .. we'll always run a deficit and I feel its unrealistic to think you can run as balanced budget . But w ed should be able to cap the deficit. But there's no will form Congress it's all about re election
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[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by wdmso

Unfunded wars in Iraqi Afghanistan Syria and associated private contracts no bid contracts and ..miltary spending in general . tax cuts lower tax receipts haven't helped .. don't see foreign aid as a big issue in the grand scheme of things .. we'll always run a deficit and I feel its unrealistic to think you can run as balanced budget . But w ed should be able to cap the deficit. But there's no will form Congress it's all about re election
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"we'll always run a deficit "

Tell that to Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. Although, they had the advantage of the Baby Boomers not yet being a drain on SS and Medicare. Thanks to that, maybe deficits are unavoidable.

"But w ed should be able to cap the deficit. But there's no will form Congress it's all about re election"

Agreed 100%. Both parties worry about the debt when they are the minority, and then spend like crazy once in power to buy votes.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by wdmso

Unfunded wars in Iraqi Afghanistan Syria and associated private contracts no bid contracts and ..miltary spending in general . tax cuts lower tax receipts haven't helped .. don't see foreign aid as a big issue in the grand scheme of things .. we'll always run a deficit and I feel its unrealistic to think you can run as balanced budget . But w ed should be able to cap the deficit. But there's no will form Congress it's all about re election
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Thank you for your balanced approach, covering ALL of the reasons for the overspending the past two decades. Your ability to cross the aisle on issues is noted ; )

We do cap the deficit, and then the government is going to shutdown unless there is an agreement to raise the cap, which only occurs after each side extracts it's pound of flesh and port.

You can (and should) run some deficit spending and it works short term but eventually you have to spend more and more money paying the interest or you default. Eventually the numbers run until you have to default.

[nightfighter]

There has been a significant cost added from going alone as the world's policeman... Current administration is calling other nations on the carpet. But the failure of the UN and NATO to fulfill their original intentions lies with all nations, especially those who don't pull their own weight footing the bill.

[DZ]

It's a complicated issue which provides good talking points but no one ever really wants to tackle the problem. We've heard it all before, entitlement reform, cut military spending, time limit the welfare safety net, etc.

All these things are going to hurt someone.

I suspect nothing will ever be done.