It's difficult for many Americans to understand how the $22 trillion national debt might affect their daily lives. Between kids and jobs and bills, they assume the debt will be taken care of by people in Washington who "know better."
But a recent panel at the Heritage Foundation came to a unanimous agreement: the national debt is a real danger to the future economic health of our nation, and failure to address it will lead to another Great Recession -- or worse.
Our economy is strong, but so is the possibility that it may have an Achilles heel—the national debt. That was the consensus of participants in a recent panel discussion at The Heritage Foundation.
The unmatched power and recently strong economic growth of the United States masks a dangerous hazard that could lead to our collective downfall, the panel agreed. And if left unchecked, debt could threaten the prosperity of future generations.
It’s a bipartisan issue, the panel pointed out. Americans agree, in overwhelming numbers—as in 94% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats, according to recent polling by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation—that future generations will be better off if the national debt is managed.
Marc Goldwein, senior vice president and senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said at the event that national debt crowds out investment as investors purchase government bonds rather than buying private assets or otherwise investing in the private sector.Over time, he argued, that could result in “slower wage growth, slower income growth, and a smaller overall economy.”
The economy might be strong at the moment, but that doesn't mean the debt is irrelevant, the panel agreed.
High debt causes an erosion of economic stability and government’s ability to act in times of crises, until, as Goldwein said, “like the frog in boiling water, we may not notice it until it’s too late.”
What does “too late” look like? A spike in interest rates or another kind of shock to the bond market could likely cause a crisis to top the Great Recession, according to Goldwein.
Unfortunately, the Heritage Foundation fails to offer a viable solution. They hope that Congress can be convinced to fix the problem before the pot boils over, but the last five decades of congressional inaction tell a different story.
Congress won't act before it's too late, which is why the people and the states must force their hand.
An Article V Convention of States can propose constitutional amendments that force Congress to address the debt, shrink the deficit, cut spending, and get our nation back on track.
The best part? The process is controlled entirely by the state legislatures. Congress can't do anything to stop these constitutional amendments from being proposed, and if 38 states agree to ratify, the feds can say goodbye to their days of unlimited spending.
If this sounds good, let your state legislature know you support the Article V movement. Sign the Petition below, and we'll do the rest!
