Why can't our treasury just print out the money to pay our national debt?
491852
We might be able to get away with that once...\n\nIt would cause an instant 100% inflation and ruin the day for a lot of Arabs, Japs & Chinese
284413
Well, not all of the world's nations are in debt, but much of the money ends up in the hands of private entities as governments spend it to help people, either their own, or another country's people.\n\nThe United States spends money on itself to help stimulate economic development, as well as to help in recovery after large natural disasters.  It also spends money on foreign countries to help with their development or other misfortunes.\n\nOne might ask, "if the government issues the money, why not print more of it if they're in debt".   The simple answer is that if they did this, it would make that country's money less valuable.  That's a bad thing...afterall, who wants to have worthless money?
444615
The national debt is actually something that is undermining our national security by handing over a very large portion of our economy to foreign powers.\n\nIn international finance, everything is balanced through a very complicated system including value of exported and imported goods, value of currency, value of precious metal reserves (gold & silver), and other valued goods. When the US spends more than it makes as a nation, there are several things that could happend: 1. Other countries step in and "loan" money to the US through the purchase of Treasury Bills (T-Bills); 2. The US dollar is devalued (i.e. goes down compared to other currencies).\n\nRight now, foreign nations are purchasing T-Bills in order to loan the US the money that it spends. Basically, the T-Bill is a note that promises the purchaser that the US Government will pay back the money owed.\n\nThe problem is, when other countries have large amounts of these T-Bills, they effectivly control the US economy by the threat of dumping the t-bills onto the international market. For instance, if China decided that it really didn't want the US to supply arms to Taiwan, it could take all of its T-bills and dump them in the international market. Overnight, the US Dollar would plummet, thus raising the cost of imported goods in the US. The result is that $5 t-shirt made overseas now costs $10. Inflation would be rampant, businesses would shut down, unemployment would rocket up, and the US economy would be in tatters in a matter of weeks.
537212
and in case you wondered, the total federal debt is over 8 trillion.  do the math.  if you take all debt owed by americans, public and private, i believe it goes to over 40 trillion.  sound to you like we're on the right path here?  we used to be the world's largest creditor nation, and now, like so many piss poor countries, we are the largest debtor.  we need 2 billion a day from foreigners just to keep going.  keep this in mind when you vote next time.
1060685
Outsourcing is not under the control of the president. Private companies outsource, and short of congress passing a new law (which isn't going to happen) nothing can be done about it. As for National debt too early yet, candidates haven't really declared or set platforms yet.
1124702
no not at all.  First of all national deficit is the sum of all deficits including your credit card and national spending.  Secondly national income is the income that comes in not only from tax, tariffs, savings, etc but also from buying and selling of goods abroad in the name of the US government.  \n\nI could go on and on but the key here is that national income is not easy to calculate.  There are hidden / undisclosed accountants that are not publicized and despite what people say, it is still a part of the national income.   When you add all that up, the income is actually a debt. LOL and you owe the government thousands of dollars.   \n\nSorry for the complicated and bad news. LOL
585229
Because the gov't knew that a certain population would try to collect them and by collecting them they are not putting them back in circulation.  This helps our economy.  Just a cheap way for us to make the $$$ worth more.
1144771
NO WAY! The govt should tax it to help pay the country's debt.
644480
You are confused.\n\nThe United States of America does not have any money.\n\nThey have a debt of $8,352,018,680,781.45 and it keeps increasing about $2 Billion PER DAY.\n\nYour share is about $27,966.97\n\nUnfortunately even if you send them a check to the world-famous Department G your share would still keep increasing unless the Goverment stops asking for money to the rest of the World, which is impossible right now because they spend more than the money coming from taxes.\n\nATTN  DEPT  G\nBUREAU  OF  THE  PUBLIC  DEBT\nP O  BOX  2188\nPARKERSBURG,  WV   26106-2188
463651
From the circulation, government print a certain amount of money and release this for circulation, some of it goes to daily use, some end up in foreign shores, other end up in banks, piggy bank, under the matress or become dormant [uncirculated].\n\nThose in circulation will eventually wear out, tear or totally lost like in fire.\n\nGovernment estimate the amount need to be print based on the money that are collected for destruction due to wear and tear and can no longer be used, and an estimate deducted from moeny supply that are in banks or in circulation.\n\nThis number are dymanics and not fix, so every time new money is to be mint, number cruching begin.
856034
Never.  It's over 9 trillion dollars.  The national debt has been with us for... decades and as long as it's not a national priority (politicians tend to look at the number as a % of GNP), then it will never happen.
873488
Article I of the US Constitution gives Congress the power "To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures."\n\nThey oversee the treasury and decide how much money to print with the assistance of the US Treasury Department.  This is done based upon economic forecasts, the value of the dollar verses other currencies and the need for the money.  They may want to print more money to create inflation (which lowers unemployment) or limit the money to create savings.\n\nThey also print money to compensate for the money that is being constantly taken out of circulation (you trade in a ripped dollar at a bank and they destroy it and print a new one to replace it).\n\nThe Federal Bank handle fiscal policy (such as interest rates and borrowing guidelines), not monetary policy (how much to actually spend).
986413
You cant you have to provide for are country just like every one else, you know, highways, troops, ships, plain, just about anything that has city county or government on it has to receive money from some where guess who that is, Yep you got it tax payers!!!!  God forbid we give something back......for are freedom!!!!
945525
When  you include everything, all our debt, the number is over 50 trillion.  " A billion here and a billion there, soon you are talking about real money."  It is all a colossal shell game perpetrated on the public.  Social Security was supposed to be a fund that contributions went in to, and benefits were to be taken from the interest.  If left alone, there would be more than enough money now to draw from.  Instead, Congress adopted another criminal  practice and started, in the sixties, dumping that money in the general fund to be spent every year on their pet projects, like Vietnam.  Today is  the same with Iraq.  I imagine they call it creative bookkeeping 101.
720906
Technically, no one. The United states isnt borrowing money from these people.\n\nWhen the govt began having deficits, they started selling treasury bonds and other countries bought them. When you purchase a treasury bond, you are actually investing in the American Dollar. \n\nOther countries and organizations are investing in the United states dollar. Not really a loan. \n\nHOWEVER< There is a good feasable solution, that WOULD work IF the American public actually wanted its govt to stay alive. BUY TREASURY BONDS!!!!!
691672
It is privately owned, for several domestic and international banks, some of the owner's names are Rockefeller does that ring you a bell? they print money backed up by nothing and charge interest to the govmt! we all end up paying for it (40% of our fed income tax) while the rich gets richer, the funny thing is that it is illegal as per our constitution, and we could buy it back at 450 million to abolish it if we wanted too, unfortunately some guys like John Kennedy tried to eliminated and was shot... you can get more details from a CPA here:\n\nhttp://www.totse.com/en/politics/international_banking_money_laundering/fedbank.html
517467
The amount of money coming into the government coffers is variable and so is the amount it has to spend.  If the economy is good, there are lots of taxes being paid and more money available.  If we are at war, we are spending a lot of money to maintain our army.  If the government was required to have a balanced budget, it would also have to keep a huge savings account in case of unexpected expenses.  Since the government can borrow at very low interest rates, it makes more sense to borrow when needed and pay it back when there is a surplus.  Of course, not many governments are good at the pay it back part.