[USS Alaska]

I think that the author has underestimated the impact of Social Security on the deficit. Social Security is now in a substantial cash flow deficit (about $55 billion).

$ 55 Billion is chump change.

In order to get a mental picture of just how large our $14.3 Trillion Dollar debt is, consider this:

If you had a Trillion dollars and started to spend a MILLION DOLLARS PER SECOND it would take 32,000 YEARS, YEARS, YEARS, YEARS to spend Trillion Dollars.

Try and multiply the 32,000 by 14.3 and your head will explode, and that is the grave situation we are in.

[businessprofessor]

“$ 55 Billion is chump change.”

I agree that $55 billion is a rather small part of the budget picture. However, $55 billion represents a very large problem because SS was supposed to run a surplus until 2017. In addition, SS expenditures have been moderated for several years due to no COLA. SS expenditures will soon become a major driver of government spending especially as inflation accelerates. SS and federal pension COLAs will explode spending in these two areas.

My head is exploding over the enormous amount of government spending. I just wish that the majority would see the light.