"Our" U.S. National Debt

Throughout our nation and the world there are of course countless examples of “good,” “greatness,” and “things done proper.” Those positive and uplifting sides of humankind—the parts that too often are very much short-changed on encouraging attention and due gratitude. None the least the unique and much sought after nature of liberty and opportunity so far available only in America. However—and importantly so—this writing is not about such things.

Rather, these words are about a human-created menace. One posing a rapidly increasing threat to the future of our country’s children and grandchildren of today and generations not yet born. A menace to their liberty and livelihood, in large part the result of, and continuing to feed upon, wide-spread ignorance, apathy, complacency, denial, and greed. More specifically, this is about “our” rapidly growing and very much out of control U.S. National Debt!

One that, as of March 15, 2018, exceeded $21 trillion ($21,000,000,000,000)—a little more than six months after first surpassing a likewise staggering $20 trillion. Now roughly amounting to about $64,562 for every U.S. citizen, or $174,190 for every U.S. taxpayer, or five times the present yearly federal government tax revenues. A debt now greater than the entire U.S. Gross National Product (GDP)—the total value of all of the country’s goods and services—forecasted for Fiscal Year 2018. Of course this unconscionable burden doesn’t include the “real debt elephant in the room”—our U.S. Federal Government’s “Unfunded Liabilities.” Which basically consist of future-promised benefits not realistically and confidently backed-up. For example, promises to future recipients of Social Security, Medicare, and Veterans benefits, etc. Unfunded Liabilities which 2018 estimates show to now exceed $112 trillion—or, about $344,666 for every U.S. citizen, or $930,115 for every U.S. Taxpayer.

These truly unsustainable nation-destructive burdens continue to be enabled by those willing—through ignorance or intent—to kick-the-can of responsibility and consequences down the road. Nevertheless, among life’s certainties, there will be a time of reckoning. And the consequences will likely mandate the hardest of decisions and a nature of hardship and sacrifice that a diminishing few living today can begin to envision.

Leaving now among life’s likewise many uncertainties—upon which generation of Americans will we the now so-called adults in the room let this shameful legacy fall?

And, when questioning our hopes and resolve in ever reining in our irresponsible and out of control federal government—and our personal cravings from the public treasury—possibly a booster shot of encouragement can be found in the following: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” —Helen Keller (1880-1968), American author, political activist, lecturer, and first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Being hell-bent to trouble others with my unsolicited and often less than uplifting opinions, have included some facts and views on subject in a little book titled, “Our” U.S. National Debt—101: A Shameful Liberty-Threatening Legacy Being Passed To America’s Young Children, Grandchildren, & The Not Yet Born. Done so with no delusions at all that such will put a noticeable dent in anything or cause a tremor that adjusts the tilt of the Earth’s axis, etc. Nevertheless, just had to give it a shot.  —William James Moore

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=%22Our%22+U.S.+National+Debt--101%3A+A+Shameful+Legacy+Being+

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“The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” —Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979-1990

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“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.” –Alexis De Tocqueville (1805-1859)

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“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” —Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), an American Founding Father; principal author of the Declaration of Independence; and third U.S. President from 1801-1809.