>What I don't quite understand is why don't they just print a few more trillions? Despite the ever frequent refrain of "governments aren't households, they can

>What I don't quite understand is why don't they just print a few more trillions? Despite the ever frequent refrain of "governments aren't households, they can't default on debt,they can always print, the debt doesn't matter", the question you asked is the entire logical argument for proving this isn't the case. if they could do it, they would do it. The truth is there are a vast number of interrelated reasons that mean while although it is technically possible, in a majority of circumstances it is not on the table as people rightfully worry about a huge number of potential consequences some of which are obvious to casual observers and many of which are not.