4 ms·

You might as well ask the same question about anything the U.S. does, given that the U.S. undisputedly has "more important" and unresolved domestic problems. I

You might as well ask the same question about anything the U.S. does, given that the U.S. undisputedly has "more important" and unresolved domestic problems. In the words of Carl Sagan: "Just now, there a great many matters that are pressing in on us that compete for the money it takes to send people to other worlds. Should we solve those problems first, or are they a reason for going? "

baddox 12y ago
People do ask the same question about many things the U.S. does.
spindritf 12y ago
The US does have more important and unresolved domestic problems but there are vanishingly few that could be solved with just more money.
- cmdrfred 12y ago
  Correct, but the majority of them can be solved with a more equitable distribution of said money.
- tn13 12y ago
  US debt is one problem that can be solved purely by money and nothing else not especially Obama's rhetoric.
  - dkokelley 12y ago
    I have a feeling this thread is leading down a very nonproductive path, but I'd like to salvage something of value from it and discuss the consequences of the national debt. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/21/141510617/what-if-we-paid-off-the-debt-the-secret-government-report http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/21/141510617/what-if-... I'd like to challenge the notion that the national debt is undisputedly a bad thing. The majority of the U.S.'s debt is in the form of treasury bonds - widely considered the most secure form of financial instrument. If the treasury bond can't be paid by the U.S., there are much bigger problems (such as the government of the largest national economy in the world collapsing). The treasury bond is utilized worldwide for its stability. It is used to moderate economic growth, and to stimulate it when it slows. I'm not convinced government debt is entirely good, but I'm also not convinced that things would be better by paying it off.
    - Retric 12y ago
      There was actually a lot of economics saying the possibility of the US paying off the national debt in the Clinton years would be a bad thing. Unfortunately, 2 wars, massive tax breaks for the wealthy, and a 2 recessions have taken care of that problem.

baddox 12y ago

People do ask the same question about many things the U.S. does.

spindritf 12y ago

The US does have more important and unresolved domestic problems but there are vanishingly few that could be solved with just more money.

cmdrfred 12y ago
Correct, but the majority of them can be solved with a more equitable distribution of said money.
tn13 12y ago
US debt is one problem that can be solved purely by money and nothing else not especially Obama's rhetoric.
- dkokelley 12y ago
  I have a feeling this thread is leading down a very nonproductive path, but I'd like to salvage something of value from it and discuss the consequences of the national debt. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/21/141510617/what-if-we-paid-off-the-debt-the-secret-government-report http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/10/21/141510617/what-if-... I'd like to challenge the notion that the national debt is undisputedly a bad thing. The majority of the U.S.'s debt is in the form of treasury bonds - widely considered the most secure form of financial instrument. If the treasury bond can't be paid by the U.S., there are much bigger problems (such as the government of the largest national economy in the world collapsing). The treasury bond is utilized worldwide for its stability. It is used to moderate economic growth, and to stimulate it when it slows. I'm not convinced government debt is entirely good, but I'm also not convinced that things would be better by paying it off.
  - Retric 12y ago
    There was actually a lot of economics saying the possibility of the US paying off the national debt in the Clinton years would be a bad thing. Unfortunately, 2 wars, massive tax breaks for the wealthy, and a 2 recessions have taken care of that problem.