Word: borrower
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...reason we can afford such large debts is that interest rates are so low. At the beginning of 2000, it cost the U.S. government more than 6.5% to borrow money. Now it costs less than 2.5%. That means we can borrow 2½ times as much today for the same cost. Also, the overall economy has expanded dramatically, and relative to the size of the economy, the debt isn't particularly high by global standards. (See pictures of the global financial crisis...
...debt the government owes itself can simply be rolled over endlessly. Only the interest payments are a must. As long as the dollar remains central to the global system - and there is little chance of that changing in the next decade - the U.S. will have the latitude to borrow more than most other countries...
...wanted to be paid $25,000 for me to use his picture in my book. I told him that that wasn't going to happen either. Then he said, "What if I decide to sue you?" I said, "Well, if you sue me, you're going to have to borrow $25,000 from me to hire an attorney. And I'm not going to loan it to you." So that pretty much nipped that in the bud. That's a normal conversation day with my father...
Last year British Prime Minister Gordon Brown raised his country's top marginal rate for income tax to 50% from 40%. This came on the heels of a decision to borrow more than $1 trillion over the next five years, bringing his country's public debt to 79% of GDP by 2013. There has been the expected backlash from the superrich, but the majority of Brits don't seem to mind so much...
...economies, and, since they manage nations, they're not likely to evaporate, Enron-style, in a sudden financial flame out, or close up shop and flee their creditors. That's why lending money to states is considered the surest bet around. Reputation aside, however, politicians abuse their ability to borrow just like any spendthrift with too many credit cards, and often pile up more bills than they can handle. Argentina, Russia, Mexico and others have stiffed their bankers over the past 30 years. In fact, the sovereign-debt crisis goes back as far as the concept of the sovereign state...