Wishful Thinking 101: Can We Talk About the Deficit Now?

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 11-09-2006, 07:47

Originally Posted by Xiahou

Never gone to a private school have you?

Schools are different in different places apparently. Private highschools in cinci have heated floors for their locker room, and the public schools don't but offer just as good education. Depends on the school.

**Xiahou** · 11-09-2006, 08:10

Originally Posted by Sasaki Kojiro

Schools are different in different places apparently. Private highschools in cinci have heated floors for their locker room, and the public schools don't but offer just as good education. Depends on the school.

You've just made my argument. It depends on the school.

So what happens if you're stuck in an area that has lousy public schools and you can't afford a private education? You are S-O-L. There's absolutely nothing you can do about it. What if the school district a couple miles over is much better- can you go there? Heck no, they make that illegal. The funds should follow the student wherever they choose to go for education. If a school can't make the "grade" then they should go under.

**Sasaki Kojiro** · 11-09-2006, 08:31

Hmm I guess it would kinda suck if you were out in the country with severe lack of choice. But hey, just move to the city, there's free market for yah

I'm not a huge fan of the "schools as competing businesses" thing. Maybe I went through the college selection process too recently. Also, you know, if you introduce competition, you'll just get higher prices at private schools. Look at college tuition these days.

**Prince of the Poodles** · 11-09-2006, 08:58

Hmm I dont think I understand.

If Clinton was running a surplus, how were we 20 trillion in the hole in 2000? Was he just not using that money to pay it back, or hadnt had enough time to pay it all off?

Is China in massive debt? What about our European equivilents? How long can a country operate with trillions of dollars in debt? Also who do we owe this money too!?

LoL ima little worked up. I can relate to the Lemur.

**macsen rufus** · 11-09-2006, 12:49

Also who do we owe this money too!?

Isn't it China that's been buying up all your debts???

**rory_20_uk** · 11-09-2006, 12:49

China has reserves of 1 trillion dollars, and has a massive trade surplus. The EU isn't a state in any sense of the word (except in that Somalia is a unified state). Different countries have widely differing debt levels.

Clinton did benefit from an upsurge in the economy. Bush has managed to start two wars which aren't cheap, start up several new plans for defence against a Soviet Russia which again isn't cheap, and finally decided that the Rich and companies pay too much tax.

the economy was due to contract, but Bush has managed to do little to help the country weather this, whist at the same time instigating measures to ignore and exacerbate the problem.

**yesdachi** · 11-09-2006, 16:22

Originally Posted by Prince of the Poodles

Also who do we owe this money too!?

Back in the day Adrian gave a nice breakdown of who held the US’s $ markers, lots of Asian (China primarily) IIRC. Investing in a county shows several things thou and not just a desire to conquer them (insert evil laugh). It shows a confidence that they think the country is a good investment regardless of the current situation. Smart people invested in Exxon after the Valdese (SP) crash because they knew the company was strong and would bounce back (stock dropped to around $4/share and rebounded to $70/share in just a few years, nice ROI for investors who didn’t follow the popularity of the company).

**GoreBag** · 11-10-2006, 07:54

I never understood this debt thing either. I understand that money is loaned and all that, but really, when will the world banks cease to lend? And once a workable, stable budget has been hammered out, who's to say that these debts won't simply be waived?

Canada is still paying off its debts from 80's, but it's a fraction of the US' debt, and we're running a surplus, so, it's not quite the same problem there. I'm looking forward to the day when the debt is no more and we can hopefully cut down some sin tax.

**yesdachi** · 11-10-2006, 14:46

Originally Posted by GoreBag

I never understood this debt thing either. I understand that money is loaned and all that, but really, when will the world banks cease to lend? And once a workable, stable budget has been hammered out, who's to say that these debts won't simply be waived?

Canada is still paying off its debts from 80's, but it's a fraction of the US' debt, and we're running a surplus, so, it's not quite the same problem there. I'm looking forward to the day when the debt is no more and we can hopefully cut down some sin tax.

I wouldn’t waive debt I loaned to someone unless they did something either real nice or beat me to a pulp.

The pain with all the US’s borrowed debt is that we have to pay interest on it.