[toast]

The money they are talking about here is the total of future commitments our government has made. These are future expenditures that to which we have committed ourselves.

Oh, is that all?
The amount doesn't really matter. We'll be back in the middle ages by the time it hits 5 trillion.

[lafroste]

The amount doesn't really matter. We'll be back in the middle ages by the time it hits 5 trillion.

Very true. War, revolution, total collapse will occur before this sum is even seriously considered to be paid (unless it is stretched out over 10,000 years). We are all social creatures, and our trap has been sprung. But when the trapmen come to claim their prize, I suspect they will find some pretty pissed off lobsters in that trap.