The reason this issue becomes such a hot button for me is that the national debt represents the economic collapse (and all the interrelated collapses) of America at some future point. This is the "crazy aunt in the basement" that noone, regardless of idealogy or political affilliation, wants to talk about. The last man who tried, a Republican university professor name Gingrich, had his ass hung out to dry.
[link|http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html|http://www.house.gov...act/CONTRACT.html]
I also believe that Al Gore very publicly tried to clean up government waste and those affected cost him the last election.

When politicians try to do the "right thing", it usually means pain and suffering from some group. To really address the national debt would require major pain and suffering for a large group of individuals (ie massive government layoffs, large tax increases, freezing new spending for a great amount of time, etc.). The politicians that do this will be rewarded with not being re-elected. To add further insult, the newly elected group coming in will probably be elected to "fix" the problem that the last group created and "re-fund" the cut programs or entitlements... The passion play continues.

The scary part for me is that we had the opportunity during the nineties to use the "peace dividend" that followed the cold war, the Contract with America, a very reform minded Vice President, a booming economy and... the result for the national debt... The rate of increase lessened. This is a hardly an stellar accomplishment. For a few brief moments in the nineties, our government started to do the right thing, but now we're back to business as usual.

On the Democratic political bright side, there most probably will be a political backlash against the Republicans in the next election. I base this on my own experience. As a lifelong Democrat, my biggest wish was always for the "my party" to hold all three branches of government. I got that wish in '92. By '93 I was extremely dissillusioned and by '94 I voted for the last time - a straight Republican ticket. I thought I was being radical... :-)

The Repubs now have it all and I would assume that thinking Republicans would be getting dissillusioned about now. Who knows what the backlash will be?

I want to see the Democrats take back the House in the next election just as a balance. I think that is more realistic than taking the White House and they should be trying to concentrate their national efforts on that. I watched the first Democratic debate the other night - Bill Patient is right. The Demos don't stand a chance other than with Gebhardt and the cast of characters that are going up against him in the primaries will ensure that he steps all over his dick to get the nod. He will step up to the plate, as did Dole, in an un-winnable election. (We came through 9-11, we fixed the economy, we've made great progress in fighting terrorism, blah, blah, blah).

I guess in a way, the national debt is meaningless, given the system and the "will of the American public", noone wants to be inconvenienced into paying it off.

we could see that some things are possible. The problem with this is (although most US'ers feel Canada and the US are really one entity separated by ones propensity to handle cold climate), because of your brethren to the east who refuse to stop talking that crazy surrender monkey language - we can't pay attention to the rest of your country on many issues other than SCTV (the greatest comedy series ever) and other entertainment/entertainers and fishing.

I thank you for trying to give hope. In all seriousness, I have small children who I hope will grow up with a decent standard of living and a peaceful time period in history. I haven't given up all hope, which is why I'm still bitching and pointing out the problem.