Re: The National Debt

["David peckham" <bikosphere@hotmail.com>]

Did no one respond to the debt question?
   I'm no economist but here's my thoughts.  I've heard that about 20% of 
the national budget goes to debt servicing.  Also I read in the mainstream 
press that both years of surpluses were because Social Security tax 
surpluses (some 100 billion) were used to balance the budget.  So, it seems 
to me that that money is owed back to Social Security.
   I am skeptical of all numbers crunched by the government.  I don't 
believe the inflation statistics; they don't seem to count housing or 
medcial costs, or the unemployment stats; they don't count self-employed, 
discouraged workers, or prisoners.
     So while I distrust the `budget surplus' I think paying off the debt is 
a good idea, there are many social and environmental needs that could grow 
into crises.  And I like Trump's idea, make the rich pay for it.
DAve Peckham


>From: mpresn1 <mpresn1@moscow.com>
>To: "vision2020@moscow.com" <vision2020@moscow.com>
>Subject: The National Debt
>Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 14:21:20 -0800
>
>A lot of the news today has been focusing on Donald Trump's idea to get
>rid of the National Debt.  To pay it off.  His plan(I believe) has
>something to do with taxing people who have over 10 million dollars and
>making all the rich people pay it off.  While this might sound like a
>good idea, I have to ask whether paying the debt would actually help our
>country.  Would we see a positive outcome or would it just be done and
>forgotten?  And what would keep our government from building up yet
>another debt?  My other question is if we have actually paid any part of
>this debt in the past 20 years.  I'm not up on my national debt trivia,
>so I'd like to hear any thoughts on this matter.
>
>M
>
>

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