[Toddsterpatriot]

Actually, the trade deficit is a measure of the huge indebtedness of Americans and the unwillingness of our populace to live within its means.

So when we were running a budget "surplus" our trade deficit disappeared? And just how huge is our indebtedness? Is it larger than our assets? Or is it less than 20% of our assets?

[sauropod]

Our indebtedness is quite large when you factor in foreign ownership of land.

When we ran a "surplus" I don't recall that the trade deficit "disappeared.