[dennisw]

4.if I get in credit card debt of $300,000 (with no means to pay) I hope CitiBank is overjoyed to calculate it as actually being a plus. A "capital surplus" in your language

There you go again, confusing debt with a trade deficit. Clown.

A United States trade deficit is a debt. Same as if I run up a credit cared debt
I have creditors and the United States has creditors. China and Japan for example
Some nations are debtor nations and some are creditor nations

If we are not really a creditor nation then go ahead and state your case

[Toddsterpatriot]

A United States trade deficit is a debt.

No it isn't. All my goods purchases (foreign and domestic) are paid for with cash.

When those nasty foreigners get my cash, they can turn around and buy T-bills, for instance, or US goods. Their choice. How do you figure my cash puts the US in debt?