[Toddsterpatriot]

According the the fed's own figures the debt has risen almost $500 million in the last 9 months

Did you mean $500 billion?

Social Security surpluses that will be offset with more fedgov IOU's

Surpluses reduce the amount the Feds borrow. You have a link to these numbers?

[american spirit]

Yes, I did mean 500 bill......check out the Bureau of Public Debt.......and even though the fedgov is using Soc. Sec. surpluses to reduce the amount they borrow 'today', according to the OMB report from '99 those $ represent a future claim against the Treasury.....which seems to be a fancy way of saying it's a debt that'll need to be repaid at some point.....so they're just shuffling off current debt exposure to repayment some point down the road......at our kids expense of course.