How do we teach people in our country about debt, when we can't even get ourselves out of debt as a country?

Answer 1

The two truly are unrelated. You are talking about a person's debt, vs. gov't debt that is spread out among hundreds of millions of people, and does not die when a specific person dies.

As long as our country continues to have a growing economy in the long term, we can continue taking on more debt with no negative consequences. Interest becomes just another growing expense, that is countered by growing tax revenues from a growing economy.

There's a really interesting blog called the Skeptical Optimist, and he spends a great deal of time talking about the national debt, and how it is not the boogeyman everyone thinks it is.

Answer 2

AMEN!