Comments on: Comparing Public Debts http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/comparing_public_debts/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:18:15 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: bob in fla http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/comparing_public_debts/comment-page-1/#comment-515366 bob in fla Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:15:31 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=25541#comment-515366 Some of these figures appear to be out of date. Our new debt ceiling was just raised to $11.315T to reflect the current (defeated) bailout. My guess is the Fannie, Freddy, & AIG bailouts are not included in the figure shown. Some of these figures appear to be out of date. Our new debt ceiling was just raised to $11.315T to reflect the current (defeated) bailout. My guess is the Fannie, Freddy, & AIG bailouts are not included in the figure shown.

]]> By: Steve Plunk http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/comparing_public_debts/comment-page-1/#comment-515256 Steve Plunk Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:17:47 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=25541#comment-515256 I would like to see publicly owned assets thrown into that chart. The United States government owns huge amounts of acreage and their resources. I also wonder if this chart includes the newly acquired debts of Fannie and Freddie (I assume it does). If we are going to include those debts should we not include the assets that match them? There is a tangible difference between debt that is secured by assets and debt that has no associated assets. So while the chart is interesting it is incomplete enough to not be useful and perhaps even misleading. I would like to see publicly owned assets thrown into that chart. The United States government owns huge amounts of acreage and their resources. I also wonder if this chart includes the newly acquired debts of Fannie and Freddie (I assume it does). If we are going to include those debts should we not include the assets that match them?

There is a tangible difference between debt that is secured by assets and debt that has no associated assets. So while the chart is interesting it is incomplete enough to not be useful and perhaps even misleading.

]]> By: Brett http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/comparing_public_debts/comment-page-1/#comment-515252 Brett Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:06:20 +0000 http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/?p=25541#comment-515252 Poor Japan, with national debt at nearly 200% of the GDP. It really hurts them; they can't do anything that might raise interest rates, otherwise the government will probably collapse under the fiscal burden of servicing the loans. Poor Japan, with national debt at nearly 200% of the GDP. It really hurts them; they can't do anything that might raise interest rates, otherwise the government will probably collapse under the fiscal burden of servicing the loans.

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