U.S. Debt Clock Running Out of Time, Space

[Harpuia]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060327/ts_alt_afp/afplifestyleusbudgetclock_060327114411

The national debt clock, as it is known, is a big clock. A spot-check last week showed a readout of 8.3 trillion -- or more precisely 8,310,200,545,702 -- dollars ... and counting.

But it's not big enough.

Sometime in the next two years, the total amount of US government borrowing is going to break through the 10-trillion-dollar mark and, lacking space for the extra digit such a figure would require, the clock is in danger of running itself into obsolescence.

 

[SimplyMe]

Sadly, there is little we can do. Bush is not going to change his policies in the next year and next year's budget will be approved by the same Congress that has already shown a willingness to spend, spend, spend. Even if we vote new people in and try to give the message to quit spending, they won't have the time to stop it from hitting $10 trillion.

 

[Harpuia]

Sadly, there is little we can do. Bush is not going to change his policies in the next year and next year's budget will be approved by the same Congress that has already shown a willingness to spend, spend, spend. Even if we vote new people in and try to give the message to quit spending, they won't have the time to stop it from hitting $10 billion.

SimplyMe, that's $10 TRILLION.

 

[Harpuia]

Sadly, there is little we can do. Bush is not going to change his policies in the next year and next year's budget will be approved by the same Congress that has already shown a willingness to spend, spend, spend. Even if we vote new people in and try to give the message to quit spending, they won't have the time to stop it from hitting $10 billion.

dbl post

 

[SimplyMe]

SimplyMe, that's $10 TRILLION.

*sigh* I knew that. Probably that I can't imagine $10 billion, though that isn't too far off the amount that our government spends in a single day (actually about 7.63 billion), much less $10 trillion. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll fix the post.

 

[AirPo]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060327/ts_alt_afp/afplifestyleusbudgetclock_060327114411

The national debt clock, as it is known, is a big clock. A spot-check last week showed a readout of 8.3 trillion -- or more precisely 8,310,200,545,702 -- dollars ... and counting.

But it's not big enough.

Sometime in the next two years, the total amount of US government borrowing is going to break through the 10-trillion-dollar mark and, lacking space for the extra digit such a figure would require, the clock is in danger of running itself into obsolescence.

Which happens to be the thirteenth digit. Talk about numerology!

 

[PastorMikeJ]

and what happens if all the people that have loaned this money to the US government decided not to roll over this debt and call for collection???

 

[Harpuia]

Which happens to be the thirteenth digit. Talk about numerology!

In computer terms, in approximately three months, this debt total will have crossed to the 45th bit.

In other words, the debt total will be larger than 2^43rd power!

 

[SimplyMe]

SimplyMe, that's $10 TRILLION.

And just to be technical for a moment, the supposed correct English term for a million million is a billion.

The noun billion has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1: (in Britain) the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros
Synonyms: one million million, 1000000000000

Meaning #2: (in the United States) the number that is represented as a one followed by 9 zeros
Synonyms: one thousand million, 1000000000

It's just us crazy Americans that think it's a trillion.

 

[Quantos]

Looks like it's time for a new sign, that or drop the $ from the readout & use that digit, though that will also be used up after a while.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Reminds me of an old knock knock joke.

What time is it when the clock strikes...

 

[praying]

Another thing to thank GWB for.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Another thing to thank GWB for.

He can't spend a dime without congress and the clock didn't start at 0.0 when he took office. Although, I'm sure he's been behind the scenes calling the shots since before we got off the gold standard when Nixon was in office.

 

[SimplyMe]

He can't spend a dime without congress and the clock didn't start at 0.0 when he took office. Although, I'm sure he's been behind the scenes calling the shots since before we got off the gold standard when Nixon was in office.

No one is claiming that he is at fault for all of it. OTOH, the clock was going down when he took office and he has always had a Republican congress. Besides, if he objected to a budget that had been passed by congress he does have the ability to veto.

 

[PastorMikeJ]

He can't spend a dime without congress and the clock didn't start at 0.0 when he took office. Although, I'm sure he's been behind the scenes calling the shots since before we got off the gold standard when Nixon was in office.

but when he got in office it was a surplus...sooo he has taken it from a + to a verrrryyyyy huge - so you have to add the surplus before bush to the deficit to get the real effect...

 

[Autumnleaf]

No one is claiming that he is at fault for all of it. OTOH, the clock was going down when he took office and he has always had a Republican congress. Besides, if he objected to a budget that had been passed by congress he does have the ability to veto.

Sure, we could still have the Taliban running Afghanistan, Saddam running Iraq, more old people without drug coverage, and the refugees from New Orleans starving and living in filthy ruins. Not to mention Osama still rolling in dough plotting his next attack against the US with impunity. Other than the Osama part, I wouldn't mind trading back what we got for what we paid for the rest of it. Most people aren't like me and that is why Bush and Congress spent like crazy.

 

[SimplyMe]

Sure, we could still have the Taliban running Afghanistan, Saddam running Iraq, more old people without drug coverage, and the refugees from New Orleans starving and living in filthy ruins. Not to mention Osama still rolling in dough plotting his next attack against the US with impunity. Other than the Osama part, I wouldn't mind trading back what we got for what we paid for the rest of it. Most people aren't like me and that is why Bush and Congress spent like crazy.

It would appear you agree that much of it is Bush's fault, since these are his programs you are talking about.

 

[PastorMikeJ]

We know that it isn't bush's fault...he hasn't taken any responsibility for anything that he has done since he was a little boy...it is them nasty Iraqis and afganis terrorist...I don't place any of the blame of bush for any of our troubles..and that missing 9 billion well things happen.. we shouldn't be to concerned about it...
And the very large increase in national debt we all know that it is the congress' fault...if they hadn't voted for all that spending we would still have surplus.. and if it wasn't for bin laden's attack on the US we wouldn't be chasing him all around the world spending more and more money..so you see it is our fault and we should just own up to it before them nasty Iraqis are running around taking over our country...

 

[Norseman]

and what happens if all the people that have loaned this money to the US government decided not to roll over this debt and call for collection???

Them's fightin' words.

 

[PastorMikeJ]

Them's fightin' words.

LOL ok let's not fight...cuz fightin ain't fun...let's just have a cup of coffee and relax...