One Debt or Another

Can you believe the dangerous predicament we’re in? Just today, while searching the Internet, I found out that the US has once again reached its debt limit at over 14 trillion dollars. And the most worrisome part is that there is no agreed upon plan to do anything about it… especially from the Whitehouse. Why don’t they see the danger that basic folk see and get busy fixing the problem?

Another news story was another sign of dangerous times ahead. 2010 marked the first time that more was spent from Social Security than was taken in. I had hoped that my many years of contributing to this fund would still be available when I retired, but I seriously doubt it now. I suppose a lot could happen over the next 9 years, but having watched the Obama economy, it isn’t likely.

So, how did we get here? Well, we have a government with no fiscal restraint. I see it as one of the problems that come with a generation of career politicians. They spend as if the American economy will eventually overcome all shortfalls. It may be true when the economy is robust. Which brings us to another obvious problem; the economy is not robust these days and doesn’t show any promise that it will become such either. The political climate that a vote for change has brought has ensured that.

I have heard talk of two other problems that contribute to these dangerous conditions. One is the Baby Boomers. With a very large and growing aged population (many drawing upon Social Security and other government sponsored programs) the pressure on government entitlements threatens to overwhelm our resources.

Why? Well, one reason is our shrinking work force. The American workforce isn’t shrinking just because of high unemployment rates; there is more to it than that. It’s true, we find ourselves in challenging circumstances. Fewer people working equals fewer taxes which equals fewer dollars to cover our increasing debt and other government programs like Social Security.

But there is another reason for this workforce shortfall. Plain and simply we have fewer people entering the workforce. Families are smaller than they used to be. With each successive generation, family size is shrinking. We should have known that this day would come; when a very large bubble of boomers who have done their part for the American economy are now ready for their day in the sun.

But there is still one more reason that needs to be mentioned, and faced by this nation. Years of Roe v Wade has assisted in the genocide of millions of babies. What a waste. Not only do we miss the talents and skills that may have been born with the live birth of some of these sacrificed embryos, but we miss the shear number of individuals that could have been part of today’s workforce. I’m left to wonder how things might have been different had some Americans been different in how they viewed life. So, before you complain about the serious imbalance between the American workforce and the retiring Baby Boomers, first consider whether you are part of the problem or not.

Now, I personally believe that abortion is a plague. It is far more serious a problem than a simple imbalance in this country. Each child in embryo is a God-given gift. Each deserves a chance at life, to fulfill dreams, and to contribute in a positive way to this great nation. It is a national shame that we have allowed it to plague us for so long. Well, now we all have to pay for it… literally. Talk about a debt limit… this one dwarfs our $14 trillion.