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Saturday, August 22, 2026

In 2000, we ran a surplus budget. One generation later, we're $40 Trillion in debt, and the annual service on that debt is now more than we spend on Defense.

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The national debt just crossed $40 trillion. When I entered Congress in 2011, it was $14 trillion--and we treated it like an emergency. We had a real chance to change the trajectory. I was there. I cast some of those votes. Including regrets. open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz ...

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-- Adam Kinzinger (@adamkinzinger.substack.com) 9:35 AM · Aug 21, 2026

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Surprise, surprise! The authors seem to trace a large percentage to tax cuts.

#1 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 03:20 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 7

Maybe this is a good time to bring up the fact trillions of dollars of tax cuts were expiring, and the OBBB extended them.

And, of course, whenever you're running a deficit budget, and choose to extend otherwise expiring tax cuts, that represents 100% new, additional borrowing. Extending the expiring cuts will cost over $2 trillion, plus service costs, of course.

All newly borrowed, and almost all to give away in tax cuts to the world's wealthiest.

#2 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 03:24 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Almost entirely traceable to Republican policies and blunders.

#3 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-21 06:48 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 10

the annual service on that debt is now more than we spend on Defense.

Been saying this since I arrived on this site 5yrs ago. But neither side wants to fix the problem, one just raise taxes, the other stop spending.
Neither will happen.

US just raised most revenue in its history, US just spent more than it ever had due to mandatory spending.

Never heard of this ridiculous premise framing it as 0 to a 40 trillion though.
Must be that Danforth math at work. The US already owed 4-6trillion.

The US never stopped selling treasuries, despite the supposed "surplus."

Boomers always thinking its everyone else's fault. Boomers it's you, and only you, the spending spree started under you and hasn't stopped under you.

#4 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 08:45 AM | Reply | Funny: 2 | Newsworthy 4

"Never heard of this ridiculous premise framing it as 0 to a 40 trillion though."

You're correct. I framed it wrong. I meant to mean we were on track towards zero (Clinton left True Surplus Budgets for Dubya), but Republicans, led by Cheney and Dubya, reset America's fiscal sights from surpluses as far as the eye could see, to, at that time, the largest deficits known to man since the dawn of time.

Since then, Republicans have refused at every turn to balance revenue with spending. The math basically works out that the deficit can be directly connected to borrowing new money to give it away for tax cuts.

#5 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 10:45 AM | Reply

"The US never stopped selling treasuries, despite the supposed "surplus.""

Not the barometer, Einstein.

#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 10:47 AM | Reply

Boomers always thinking its everyone else's fault. Boomers it's you, and only you, the spending spree started under you and hasn't stopped under you.

#4 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

This is my generation

This is my generation, baby

Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

This is my generation

This is my generation, baby

My, my, my generation

#7 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-21 11:14 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Boomers always thinking its everyone else's fault"

The math is clear. So is the history: the pivotal moment was when Cheney and Dubya, without a single (D) vote, reset America's fiscal sights from Surplusville to Debtsylvania.

#8 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 11:26 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 7

"Boomers it's you, and only you.."

Trumpy is a boomer.

Now I have to report you to the Ministry of MAGA.

There goes your visa and your pardon.

#9 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-21 11:30 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Boomers it's you, and only you."

Sometimes folks admit they don't understand the equation in indirect ways.

#10 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-21 11:41 AM | Reply

30% of that $40 trillion is just Donald Trump.

For you math illiterates, that's $12 trillion due to Donald Trump.

I remember when conservatives pretended they cared about the debt.

It's clear the only thing they care about is preventing poor Americans from benefitting from our taxes.

Happy extinction, America!

#11 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-21 11:50 AM | Reply

I remember when conservatives pretended they cared about the debt.

That would be when a democrat controlled the White House.

Republicans only care about the debt when Dems have the reigns so they can use it to block any and all democratic public welfare and healthcare programs designed to help Americans.

#12 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-21 12:16 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

I think I heard somewhere that once (in the Before Times) there was once a president who did balance the budget and was actually able to reduce the deficit! So it's possible!

Hmmm. Now who was that guy ? Wonder how he did it!?!

Oh well must be just another myth lost in the sands of Time and now we will never know how it was done.

#13 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-21 12:45 PM | Reply

Wait until 1Nut's Gen takes full responsibility for AI taking your job and then telling you when to crap and when to die.

Gen-scaping is obnoxiously stupid.

#14 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-21 01:17 PM | Reply

#14 only if something is preventing you from being objective about it.

#15 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-22 05:37 AM | Reply

Let's see...

Every President that knew that the laws were wrong, the bills are too much, the debt keeps going up, VETOED.

Every Senate took a look at the House's bills and voted against them.

Thanks to the WH and the Senate, deficit spending is in the long ago past.

Surpluses for decades have paid down the National Debt and the People are better for it.

Or, did both parties just sign off on it.

Both parties have approved the National Debt.

Think it'll change in January when the House flips?

#16 | Posted by Petrous at 2026-08-22 08:57 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

#15

Thanks for Big Brother AI depleting resources, buddy! Not to mention Fake Music and Tic Tic.

Gen shaming is absurd... here's your AI to prove it, lol:

"AI Overview

Generation shaming"labeling entire age groups with broad, negative stereotypes like "entitled," "lazy," or "out of touch"" is lazy thinking that ignores individual reality.

Why Generation Shaming Fails

Arbitrary lines: Age cutoffs between groups like Millennials and Gen Z are made up, meaning a person born one year apart can be placed in a totally different box.

Flawed stereotypes: Lumping millions of people together erases different races, incomes, cultures, and personal choices.

Misplaced blame: Economic struggles, housing costs, and shifting social norms are systemic issues, not the fault of a specific age group.

Intergenerational tension: Pitting generations against each other distracts from solving real problems together."

www.google.com

#17 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-22 12:14 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Thanks for Big Brother AI depleting resources"

Then proceeds to post an AI google response.

Mmmmm. That was some good drinking water.

#18 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-22 12:50 PM | Reply

Hey, I play the cards available, not the ones I wish I had.

Plus, you forgot an actual argument to what was said.

#19 | Posted by Corky at 2026-08-22 02:41 PM | Reply

Former Federal Reserve Chairman and Ayn Randian cultist, Alan Greenspan, gave this speech in 2001: www.federalreserve.gov explaining how awful it would be to pay off our public debt. He also went on to support W's tax cuts (which required the US to borrow even more money for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars) as an effective way to prevent budget surpluses and keep the country in debt. The idea that the Social Security trust fund would have "too much" money in it really worried old Al.

Mission Accomplished!

#20 | Posted by anton at 2026-08-22 05:05 PM | Reply

First I thought it was just Danforth that didn't know the difference between Debt and Deficit's.

Now its the owner of the site.

LOL

Now the Corky is chiming-in, by wasting energy and water with Reddit slop.

Mission Accomplished I guess!

#21 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-22 05:37 PM | Reply

"I thought it was just Danforth that didn't know the difference between Debt and Deficit's"

You must've missed my correction. I took responsibility for my post, and pointed out the correct verbiage.

And by the way...the work "deficits" doesn't have an apostrophe.

#22 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-22 05:45 PM | Reply

Gen shaming is absurd... here's your AI to prove it, lol:

That might be dumbest, and I mean THE DUMBEST response.

I mean, are you trying to be a stereotypical 90's movie "cool guy" trope?

#23 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-22 07:37 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Plus, you forgot an actual argument to what was said.

#19 | Posted by Corky

This is like farting and demanding a response.

#24 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-22 07:38 PM | Reply

First I thought

#21 | Posted by oneironaut

F*&^ off s*&^ bag, you've never thought for a single second of your pathetic, worthless life.

#25 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-22 07:40 PM | Reply

@oneiornaut

We can't have Biden signing off on ridiculous spending!!!

#26 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2026-08-22 08:07 PM | Reply

I know!

Let's cut future increases in spending!

That always works!

That dork and fascist little twerp Anthony Fauci owes this country about 7 trillion dollars.

Then we had DOGE come in and eliminate billions in waste only for courts to rule that "wasting taxpayer money is a legitimate function of the government actually".

So it's time to just stop using dollars and move to a gold silver Bitcoin financial system that can't be manipulated like this.

The savers will prosper, the wasters will be forever broke and there will be no welfare to save them.

#27 | Posted by THEBULL at 2026-08-23 10:07 AM | Reply | Funny: 4

Re 27

Man. That's whole lot of stupid bro.

Could be a worm or a brain tumor causing all that stupid.

You might wanna get that checked out by a professional.

#28 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-23 10:44 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

That dork and fascist little twerp Anthony Fauci owes this country about 7 trillion dollars.
#27 | Posted by THEBULL

Trump is the reason you know who Anthony Fauci is.

Trump appointed Anthony Fauci to the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

Trump owes this country about 7 trillion dollars.

#29 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-23 10:50 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

"Now, people ask me all the time how we got four surplus budgets in a row. What new ideas did we bring to Washington? I always give a one-word answer: Arithmetic."

Former President Bill Clinton

#30 | Posted by SomebodyElse at 2026-08-23 03:37 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

" You must've missed my correction. I took responsibility for my post, and pointed out the correct verbiage.

And by the way...the work "deficits" doesn't have an apostrophe.

#22 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2026-08-22 05:45 PM | FLAG: "

So you lied, got caught and are now trying to backtrack. We all know better.

#31 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-08-23 04:54 PM | Reply

Thebullscheit is as big of a mouth-breathing retarded dumbass as Ballwasher the oozing MAGAT ----

#32 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-08-23 09:08 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

'So you lied, got caught and are now trying to backtrack. "

On the contrary.

I misstated, was corrected, restated after admitting I was wrong, and apologized.

Leave it to you to omit the salient parts.

Were you lying on purpose???

#33 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-23 10:15 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"We all know better."

Well, regarding the guy in your mirror...we all know THAT's a lie.

#34 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-23 10:16 PM | Reply

"are now trying to backtrack."

Nope.

If I was trying to backtrack, I would've called lying "hyperbole".

You know...like you do when you get caught.

#35 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-23 10:19 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

" So you lied, got caught and are now trying to backtrack. "

On the contrary.

I misstated, was corrected, restated after admitting I was wrong, and apologized.

Leave it to you to omit the salient parts.

Were you lying on purpose???

#33 | POSTED BY DANFORTH AT 2026-08-23 10:15 PM | FLAG: "

Shoving the BS back in your face. You NEVER accept a similar explanation from me. Ever. Not once. So, ---- off.

You deserve everything you are getting.

#36 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-08-24 12:22 AM | Reply

" Shoving the BS back in your face. You NEVER accept a similar explanation from me."

That because you don't have the class to post the truth to begin with, then when you get caught, you refuse to admit you were wrong, take responsibility, and apologize.

You will also never see me make that argument again.

You know ... All the things that widely separate me from you.

Pretending it's the same is just another lie from you.

#37 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-24 10:13 AM | Reply

"---- off. You deserve everything you are getting."

All I'm getting is you misrepresenting what actually happened.

As usual.

Luckily, anyone who can read can see it clearly.

#38 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-24 10:15 AM | Reply

" it's time to just stop using dollars and move to a gold silver Bitcoin financial system that can't be manipulated"

Tell us you're the dumbest Mofo on the planet without using those specific words.

#39 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-08-24 10:53 AM | Reply

Jimmy Carter tried to balance the budget. He regrettably got it down to $994B and then got his ass kicked. After that, all bets were off.

- *Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)*: National debt increased from $759 billion to $994 billion, a 31% increase.

- *Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)*: National debt increased from $994 billion to $2.86 trillion, a 188% increase.

Carter's successors seem to have taken one major lesson from his failings:

The American public may blame the president for a sluggish economy, but when it comes to debt, the sky's the limit.

#40 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-24 11:23 AM | Reply

move to a gold silver Bitcoin financial system
#27 | Posted by THEBULL

I used to think you were just trolling, but now the greater part of your posting history has finally been explained.

#41 | Posted by El_Buscador at 2026-08-24 12:08 PM | Reply

If we went back to pre-Reagan taxation overnight, and assuming the economy didn't collapse because it's structured differently, we would only have a 1.5 Trillion deficit. Only $1.5 Trillion in savings to go, and we can then start to free up income to pay down the debt.

#42 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-08-24 06:46 PM | Reply

Then oh magically, we cut 100% of the military, no more army, marines, air force, space force, navy, only the Coasties.

Only $500 billion to go to get to beak even.

Which entitlements are we down to cut? That's where the money is.

#43 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-08-24 06:51 PM | Reply

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