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Total federal government debt ($22.2 Trillion) has never been larger, both in size and as a percentage (over 160%) of the $13.86 Trillion GDP (year 2007), when including the $12.8 Trillion borrowed and spent from Social Security, leaving it pay-as-you-go, with a 77 million baby boomer bubble approaching (that's 13,175 new recipients per day!).
Total personal household debt nation-wide ($13.88 Trillion) has never been larger, both in size and as a percentage (over 100%) of the $13.86 Trillion GDP.
Total nation-wide debt ($53.2 Trillion) has never been larger, both in size and as a percentage of the $13.86 Trillion GDP:
private domestic financial sector debt=$15.8 Trillion;
household debt= $13.88 Trillion;
business debt=$10.16 Trillion;
federal government National Debt=$Loading....00
state and local government debt=$2.2 Trillion;
other private sector
foreign debt=$1.8 Trillion;
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Total nation-wide debt = $53.2 Trillion (and that does not even include the $12.8 Trillion borrowed and spent from Social Security, leaving it pay-as-you-go, with a 77 million baby boomer bubble approaching);
If the $12.8 Trillion borrowed and spent from Social Security is included:
Total nation-wide debt = $66.0 Trillion = $53.2 Trillion + $12.8 Trillion (that is 3.81 times the nation's $13.86 Trillion GDP ! )
Total federal debt is = $22.2 Trillion = $9.4 Trillion + $12.8 Trillion
QUESTION: Where will the money come from to pay the interest on the $53.2 Trillion of nation-wide debt, much less the money to reduce the principal debt of $53.2 Trillion, when that money does not yet exist?
Real median household incomes have fallen since year 1999, and have actually never been lower since year 1978 when also including the fact that:
there are now more workers per household;
we have more regressive taxation (voters should ask to see the tax curve on gross income; before a myriad of tax loop holes are applied);
and the 40-hour work week is disappearing;
urban sprawl and high fuel costs are hammering the middle-income and lower-income levels;
Illegal immigration has never been worse and more costly, costing American citizens an estimated $70 Billion to $338 Billion annually in net losses. The problem has quadrupled since the amnesty of year 1986. Hundreds of overrun hospitals have closed (60-to-84 in California alone), California is now laying off 20,000 teachers in the public school system. 29% of all people incarcerated in Federal prisons are illegal aliens. The politicians (despicably) capitalize on it in 3 ways:
by pitting American citizens and illegal aliens against each other for profits and to depress wages (Wage_Stagnation + Cheap_Labor = Big_Profits);
by dividing the voters (capitalizing on Americans misplaced compassion for illegal aliens more than their fellow Americans);
and by pandering for votes;
The wealth disparity gap has never been larger since year 1930. The gap started growing larger, and has not stopped growing larger since year 1976.
Taxation has been regressive since year 2000 (or before). We have never had so many different kinds of taxes; many of which are regressive sales taxes. The current tax code is ridiculously complex (by design) with a myriad of tax loop-holes that mostly benefit the wealthy.
Home equities have never been lower (below 50%) since year 1945.
Home ownership has fallen since year 2006 for low-income and middle-income groups. A study shows that only 59.6% of working class families owned their homes in 2003, lower than the 62.5% in year 1978. That is, home ownership is rising among the wealthy, while falling for most Americans that are losing wealth, losing equity, losing income, and losing their homes at record levels. Currently, home ownership is in a record plunge, and the 4th quarter of 2007 had the biggest one-year drop (1.1%) since tracking began in year 1965.
Foreclosures are at record levels.
JAN-2008: 225,000
JAN-2007: 145,000
JAN-2006: 105,000
JAN-2005: 70,000
Average personal savings rates are negative (since year 2005), and have never been worse since 1933.
Energy vulnerability: oil and energy prices have never been higher (both in nominal price and adjusted for inflation; worse than the spike in year 1981).
Federal government bloat has never been worse, and continues to grow to nightmare proportions. There are now more jobs in government than all manufacturing nation-wide.
Global competition has never been stronger. Trade deficits have never been larger (see China). Transnational corporations want cheap labor (WageStagnation + CheapLabor = BigProfits). Jobs are leaving the nation in droves; a trend that started in the early 1970s, and also helps to explain why real median household incomes have actually been falling since year 1978. Also, while 5.5% unemployment doesn't sound bad, the jump from 5.0% to 5.5% (from April-2008 to May-2008) is the largest one-month increase in 22 years (source: U.S. Labor Dept.). Also, one should remember that the population is growing by 5 million per year too. So the number of unemployed is growing larger, even if the percentage isn't.
Medicare has hundreds of billions of unfunded liabilities per year, which are being funded by more borrowing and debt. It is not sustainable; especially with the approaching 77 million baby-boomer bubble. In year 2007, Medicare (16%) and Medicaid (7%) combined were 23% of the $2.7 Trillion federal budget.
Year 2007: $432 Billion (16% of federal budget)
Year 2006: $374 Billion (14% of federal budget)
Year 2005: $333 Billion (13% of federal budget)
Year 2000: $216 Billion (12% of federal budget)
Year 1990: $107 Billion ( 9% of federal budget)
Year 1980: $34 Billion ( 6% of federal budget)
Year 1970: $7 Billion ( 4% of federal budget)
Inflation was higher in the mid-to-late 1970s and early 1980s, but we have had positive inflation since year 1956. 3% to 5% inflation doesn't sound bad, but when it is every year, it becomes exponential (i.e. 3% this year is really more than 3% of last year, which is more than 3% the year before, etc., etc., etc.). Thus, a 1950 U.S. Dollar is now worth less than 10 cents. As of 16-JUL-2008, consumer prices have rose at a rate that has never been faster in the last 26 years. Energy prices have a great deal to do with this.
Other exacerbating problems are:
2 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (cost as of 19-JUL-2008 estimated between $557 Billion and $2+ Trillion);
skyrocketing health care costs;
declining quality and rising costs of education;
election system problems;
regressive taxation (voters should always ask to see the tax-curve on gross income; before a myriad of tax loop holes are applied);
violent crime rates are on the rise again, after falling for many years;
declining transparency in government (i.e. the U.S.A. Corruption Perception Index has fallen for 10 years);
for the 2nd time in 125 years, the Red Cross is bankrupt;
the Dow Jones had the worst June since the Great Depression;
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Pressing Problems Facing the U.S. (growing quickly in number and severity) |
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CONGRESS' To-Do List (see what Do-Nothing Congress has done since the last election) |
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10+ Abuses in the U.S. for the past 30+ years |
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Irresponsible Incumbent Politicians (what irresponsible incumbent politicians do while troops risk life and limb) |
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Congress Refuses to Call Article V Convention |
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PROs and CONs (why to stop re-electing irresponsible incumbent politicians) |
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Interest on the National Debt (it will take 140 years to pay off the National Debt) |
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Debt and Money-Printing (Inflation, Debt, and Excessive Money-Printing?) |
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Consider the Following Scenario (must we learn the hard way?) |
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The Environment and Over-Population ; U.S. Population |
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Solutions ; Help Educate Others (peacefully force government to be responsible and accountable too!) |
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Badly-Needed, Common-Sense Reforms (that can never be passed until voters make it happen) |
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The Cheater's Philosophy (learn to recognize the manipulation techniques) |
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Frequently Asked Questions |