Total U.S. debt to hit $19.6 trillion by 2015

image
Published: 09 Jun, 2010
1 min read

According to an official Treasury Department report to Congress, total U.S. public debt will hit nearly $20 trillion by 2015.  The report states that the ratio of total public debt to GDP will rise to a staggering 102% over the same period.

A CNBC article listed the following expenditures as the primary culprits for the unprecedented debt explosion:

     Wall St bailout

     Afghanistan and Iraq wars

     Stimulus

     Obligations to Social Security and other government trust funds

At the very least, experts such as University of Maryland professor, Carmen Reinhart, warn that economic growth could be slowed for years to come.  Reinhart has testified for President Obama's bipartisan deficit reduction commission.  Other experts, specifically hailing from the Austrian School of Economics, have warned of a future collapse in the value of the U.S. Dollar due to chronic deficits.

Even Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernake, the champion of loose monetary policy, is beginning to warn about the future impact of fiscal irresponsibility.  A Business Insider article highlights some chilling statements from a recent Bernanke interview with CNN:

IVP Donate

     "Bernanke talked about the need for U.S. leaders to take control of the nation's deficits over the medium term, some three to six years from now, in a way "that will allow us to bring our fiscal house in order over a long period of time."
But when asked if the nation has such a plan, or if he's seen one, Bernanke said: "No. Not yet. I don't."

More and more financial experts are sounding the alarm bells about unsustainable debt levels.  Whether it's been Bush and a Republican Congress, Obama and a Democratic Congress, Greenspan or Bernanke at the Federal Reserve, U.S. fiscal and monetary policies have put the United States on a collision course with a full-fledged debt disaster.

You Might Also Like

“Cartoon illustration of Americans facing the U.S. Capitol as light pierces through red and blue partisan cracks, representing independent voters and hope for political reform.”
New Poll: Voters Want New Leadership – and They’re Turning to Independents
A new poll from the Independent Center highlights a clear message from the public: Americans are fed up with the current political leadership, and they’re ready for change....
12 Nov, 2025
-
2 min read
Massachusetts voters.
Ranked Choice Voting Momentum Surges in Massachusetts as Cities Push for Local Control
Ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to see a surge in momentum across the U.S. However, the state that has seen the largest reform growth in the last 5 years -- Massachusetts -- has received little attention. This is because the 10 cities that have approved RCV have not been able to implement it due to state law....
14 Nov, 2025
-
5 min read
Caution tape with US Capitol building in the background.
Did the Republicans or Democrats Start the Gerrymandering Fight?
The 2026 midterm election cycle is quickly approaching. However, there is a lingering question mark over what congressional maps will look like when voters start to cast their ballots, especially as Republicans and Democrats fight to obtain any electoral advantage possible. ...
11 Nov, 2025
-
8 min read