When we left off yesterday, we were exploring the idea that it could possibly be Springtime for America and our economy.
I would have immediately rolled my eyes had I heard someone make such a statement eight months ago. After all, it’s been clear for a while now that we’ve been hurdling towards a sovereign debt crisis in this country.
Yet, the US government continued to run massive deficits and pile up even more debt regardless. It was like they were intent on skimming every last cent from their grift before the train sped over the cliff.
The only way to avoid that fate is for the government to get its fiscal house in order. And soon. Nearly $17 trillion worth of US Treasuries are coming due over the next three years. That’s almost half the national debt.
Since the US government runs budget deficits each year, the only way it can repay those bonds coming due is by issuing new bonds. But will the market step up to buy $17 trillion worth of newly issued Treasuries over the next three years?
Given that the federal debt didn’t hit $17 trillion until 2013, it took the US government 224 years to amass that level of indebtedness. And now it has to re-issue that much in just three years’ time?
That’s simply not going to happen if the government continues to run $2 trillion budget deficits each year. Because we’re talking junky-level financial management here. And who’s going to lend $17 trillion to a junky?
The good news is that there is hope. As cynical as I was about this eight months ago, there’s now a path forward to a balanced budget and fiscal sanity.
Continue reading “The Path to Fiscal Sanity”