Why is the US debt so high?
It began rising at a fast rate in the 1980's and was accelerated through events like the Iraq Wars and the 2008 Great Recession. Most recently, the debt made another big jump thanks to the pandemic with the federal government spending significantly more than it took in to keep the country running.
Nearly every year, the government spends more than it collects in taxes and other revenue, resulting in a deficit. (The debt ceiling, set by Congress, caps how much the U.S. can borrow to pay for its remaining bills.) The national debt, now at a historic high, is the buildup of its deficits over time.
Who owns this debt? The public owes 74 percent of the current federal debt. Intragovernmental debt accounts for 26 percent or $5.9 trillion. The public includes foreign investors and foreign governments.
Reducing the debt will require Congress to make politically difficult decisions to either curb spending, raise taxes, or both. Other experts say the United States can safely afford to continue borrowing at present levels because it pays relatively little interest due to its unique position in the global economy.
The current borrowing rate will eventually create a situation where it will become increasingly difficult for the administration to secure more funds. Interest rates will go up, which means the pace at which the federal is growing will accelerate.
Why Is the U.S. Debt So High? Essentially, because the government repeatedly spends more money than it receives in tax revenue. Many point to tax cuts passed by Congress as the major culprit for decreasing this income. Others point to out-of-control, politically-driven spending as the reason.
Japan and China have been the largest foreign holders of US debt for the last two decades. Japan and China held almost 50% of all foreign-owned US debt between 2004 and 2006. However, this has declined over time, and as of 2022 they controlled approximately 25% of foreign-owned debt.
| Country/Region | Per capita US dollars | External debt USD Million |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 98,094 | 32.9 trillion |
| United Kingdom | 46,754 | 3.24 trillion |
| Japan | 34,832 | 4.34 trillion |
| Netherlands | 215,569 | 3.79 trillion |
The $34 trillion gross federal debt includes debt held by the public as well as debt held by federal trust funds and other government accounts. In very basic terms, this can be thought of as debt that the government owes to others plus debt that it owes to itself.
The federal government borrows money from the public by issuing securities—bills, notes, and bonds—through the Treasury. Treasury securities are attractive to investors because they are: Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Offered in a wide range of maturities.
How can we fix US debt?
- Bonds. Using Debt to Pay Debt. ...
- Interest Rates. Maintaining interest rates at low levels can help stimulate the economy, generate tax revenue, and, ultimately, reduce the national debt. ...
- Spending Cuts. From 1921 to 1974, the President led the government budgeting process. ...
- Raising Taxes. ...
- Bailout or Default.
The money for the debts we are talking about has already been appropriated by Congress meaning approved by Congress. Yes the US can print its own currency. It always does. But printing too much leads to inflation and a weakening of the dollar.
There are two kinds of national debt: intragovernmental and public. Intragovernmental is debt held by the Federal Reserve and Social Security and other government agencies. Public debt is held by the public: individual investors, institutions, foreign governments.
(In 1835, the $17.9 million budget surplus was greater than the total government expenses for that year.) By January of 1835, for the first and only time, all of the government's interest-bearing debt was paid off.
We estimate that the U.S. debt held by the public cannot exceed about 200 percent of GDP even under today's generally favorable market conditions.
1) Switzerland
It is no surprise to see Switzerland on this list. Switzerland is a country that, in practically all economic and social metrics, is an example to follow. With a population of almost 9 million people, Switzerland has no natural resources of its own, no access to the sea, and virtually no public debt.
- 14 % National Defense.
- 13 % Net Interest.
- 12 % Medicare.
- 10 % Income Security.
- 5 % Veterans Benefits and Services.
- 3 % Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services.
- 3 % Commerce and Housing Credit.
- 2 % Transportation.
The financial position of the United States includes assets of at least $269 trillion (1576% of GDP) and debts of $145.8 trillion (852% of GDP) to produce a net worth of at least $123.8 trillion (723% of GDP).
But lets say the government magically kept it's current revenue of 4.71 trillion while stopping spending. The national debt as of Dec 2022 is 31.42 trillion. So it would take 6.67 years, rising slightly the later you read this. Also keep in time that those numbers are for the current unusually good economic times.
If China “dumped” USA treasuries, they would take a serious monetary loss. The price of the treasuries would drop, effective raising the return for those who bought the bonds.
How much money does China owe the US?
The United States pays interest on approximately $850 billion in debt held by the People's Republic of China. China, however, is currently in default on its sovereign debt held by American bondholders.
Just about every country has debt: governments take loans to pay for new roads and hospitals, to keep economies ticking over when recessions hit or tax revenues fall. Sometimes they borrow from countries, other times banks, or maybe asset managers—companies like those investing your pension dollars.
Russia National Government Debt reached 287.8 USD bn in Jan 2024, compared with 285.4 USD bn in the previous month. Russia National Government Debt data is updated monthly, available from May 2009 to Jan 2024. The data reached an all-time high of 384.2 USD bn in Jun 2022 and a record low of 86.1 USD bn in May 2009.
Japan owns the most at $1.1 trillion, followed by China, with $859 billion, and the United Kingdom at $668 billion.
