Fiscally irresponsible
To the editor:
On Dec. 2, 2014 it was announced on Fox cable news that our national debt had surpassed $18 trillion and is still growing at $40,000 per second, 24/7/365. Both facts are totally outrageous and irresponsible. The majority of this debt has been accumulated since Dec. 31, 1980. Prior to Ronald Reagan, the debt never exceeded one trillion. Each and every administration since that point in time has added a significant amount to the national debt.
The worst performance by far happened since Dec. 31, 2008. When G.W. Bush left office the debt stood at $10,699,804,864,612 or $10.7 trillion. Between Dec. 31, 20081 and Dec. 2, 2014 the debt has increased $7.3 trillion under the leadership of Pres. B.H. Obama. This $7.3 trillion is 40.6 percent of the entire national debt in a mere six years. Is this the hope and change we were promised? What is wrong with this picture, Mr. President?
Our current leadership in D.C. may very well be political geniuses in terms of getting elected/re-elected, but fall really short on basic mathematical skills and fiscal responsibility. It appears as though we are in a race to the bottom and what is worse, we are winning the race. I am reminded of a Chinese proverb that states: “He who asks questions may be a fool for five minutes but he who does not ever ask remains a fool forever.” Let us all ask D.C. what’s happening.
How large is one trillion? One trillion seconds equals 31,710 years. Both a very large number and very long time. Contemplate this. In the unlikely event our government would eliminate deficit spending forever and decide to pay down the national debt at the rate of one dollar per second, it would take us 648,000 years to pay it off. We would be debt free 650,015 A.D. How does that grab you? I suspect none of us will be around to see that happen.
What is most likely to happen, we will continue to see deficit spending until such time we will have a total financial crash and will experience the most horrific civil unrest that is possible. It will make the Middle East dissention seem like a church meeting. The USA as we know it will cease to exist. Our green backs will become green toilet paper.
I urge all of you to mail a copy of this letter to the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20500 and also to every one of your elected congressional representatives and request a meaningful reply. Both names and addresses of your elected congress reps. are listed online. Google them up. Write to both political parties. Both parties, after all, got us into this predicament. We deserve to know what they plan to do about it.
Another important consideration: Where is our mainstream news media? Why are they ignoring this problem? Are they of the opinion if we ignore a problem it will go away or is there some other devious and nefarious scheme in progress? Every American citizen deserves an answer. Honesty and clarity are both along overdue.
R.E. Workman
Cape Coral