Why isn't the U.S. concerning itself more with the national debt, trade deficits, and budget deficits?

Answer 1

Because those are issues that require thought.
Tax cuts and defense spending, however, are an easy sell.
The problem will be addressed when the voters wake up and take notice, but not before.
And how deep in will we be by the time THAT happens?

Answer 2

I think there are a number of reasons why the politicians won't deal with the national debt, trade and budget deficits. One of the main reasons is that it is profitable for them to ignore it. I don't mean from the countries stand point, but from their own. Follow the money. Many of these politicians we continue to elect have a vested interest in keeping this country in debt. Banks certainly don't want the government to stop borrowing money. It is too profitable and the American Banking Association is one of the most profitable lobbies in this country. If you don't believe me, just look what happened to the bankruptcy laws about a year or so ago. Those seeking bankruptcy protection must now spend money they don't have for credit counseling and may not be able to qualify for a discharge. Unsecured creditors, mostly bankers, now seem to have similar standing as those with secured debt. Lawyers are making a killing. Most of those we elect are lawyers. They pass legislation which costs this country billions of dollars a year to pad their pals legal firms bank accounts.

The average American doesn't want or care to find out what is going on and how their legislators vote on key issues. They continue to want a handout from the government. Instead of doing what is right for the country, they give in to special interest groups and write them a check for what they want so they can keep their power. These elected officials vote themselves raises and now don't have to vote a raise. They only need vote to keep themselves from receiving a raise. They serve one term in office and receive their salary from the day they leave office. We continue to send jobs abroad to make products which we import. That raises our trade deficit to that country. Instead of exporting our products, many are now imported into the United States. Just as many American's are irresponsible with the way they handle debt, our political leaders are doing the same thing. The difference is that countries don't go bankrupt like people do. They just borrow or print more money. To repay the debt they raise taxes or refinance the obligation. Until the American public stops demanding the government give them something and hold these politicians accountable, things will not change. American citizens should be demanding that these elected officials start trimming the size of the government. We now have more people working for the government than we have working in manufacturing. Government workers don't produce anything, manufacturing does. Government costs taxes, manufacturing pays taxes. The average American worker now works about 1/2 a year just to pay taxes. Imagine what you could have if you could cut that in half? If everyone had to sit down and write a check to the government when we received our check, I think we would see a much different attitude amoung the public. We don't miss it as much when it is taken out before we receive it.

Answer 3

First of all.. the governement isn't going to do anything about it unless people start to complain. The Clinton administration had their act together with the budget then Bush came in and spent a butt load of money on BS. One thing about America that no one wants really understands or wants to accept.... the more screwed up this country is, the more jobs it creates. The more criminals... the more police we need...the more jails we need.. the more lawyers... judges... shrinks.. ..... and bars. So while the big companies are doing their behind closed doors overseas deals... basically bending over ever American like a gay doctor performing a prostate check.... every American has to suffer.

Answer 4

Because as soon as we got ourselves into this mess in Iraq the predictable consequences of failure are so much worse than spending our money, ignoring the debt and general fiscal irresponsibility. It has become a rock or a hard place situation. Which is worse or worser :) They think failure in Iraq is worse probably because that would become their legacy but the mountain of debt would become someone elses responsibility, hell in a couple of years time they will straight faced tell America it was the Democrats fault. It puts the 'tax and spend liberal' smear that the Republicans have used in perspective eh? Given Clintons effective budgetary policies and surplus the smear is ridiculous but if I had a choice I would rather vote for a tax and spend liberal rather than a borrow and spend conservative because at the very least the tax and spend liberal is getting the money from US Citizens in the present in contrast 'the borrow and spend republicans' who are in fact selling off this country bit by bit to the Chinese. It is in fact the Chinese who single handedly have paid for the IRAQ war and tax cuts for the wealthy by accumulating 1/4 of trillion dollars of US Treasury notes in recent years. Hmmm you might say and who is going to be expected to buy back our country? The answer of course is our children. How will they do it ... well by higher taxes of course and lower standards of living.

The truth is this current set of leaders simply do not care about the ultimate impact of their actions and shortsightedness as long as their core constituency the hideously rich get a significant return on their investment in achieving Bush electoral victories and the perceptions of their broader electoral constituency can still be manipulated by limited issues and wedge politics.

Answer 5

It can't control them. The US has gone unchecked for so many decades, it cannot sort it all out. That's why they have these little political squabbles amongst themselves (and wars too...and I'm not just talking about the current one). They are distractions to try to keep folks like you from asking that question. The government has given so much of tax dollars out to foreign countries, and wasted it on themselves, that they cannot ever recoup the losses.

Answer 6

Because no one is going to make the US pay it back right now. The US has the ability to put trade sanctions on any country and has the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons right now.

Answer 7

The US is concerned with oil because it is a scarce commodity with dwindling supply and it is the reason why it invaded Iraq.

Answer 8

The US is very concerned. The Neoconservatives think it doesn't matter.

Answer 9

Oh they are, they're just not big media issues so you don't here about them. They get low ratings.

Answer 10

Because of the war on tourism...oh wait a minute that's not it.

Yeah...I think we all know why...