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The National Debt as a Road Trip

Submitted by CrownThomas on 04/25/2012 21:21 -0400

h/t Nols

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Thu, 04/26/2012 - 10:32 | 2376529 mess nonster

I agree. To change the analogy, imagine a vacuum, and the debt as portayed by a president in free-fall. Of course obama is going to be moving exponentially faster than his predecessors. all of this is fine, except that there is some sort of vacuum-induced fog, so that we can't see the ground. is it millions of miles beneath us, or is it two feet beneath us? It isn't the fall that hurts, it's the collison with the ground.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 10:24 | 2376480 SeanJKerrigan

Much as I dislike the fascist, Obama can't really be blamed. He's just further along on the exponential debt curve. It has little to do with his specific policies. It would look the same pretty much regardless which of the recent former presidents was in office today.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:59 | 2376397 LawsofPhysics

Who signed TARP and TALF again?

Yeah, more left versus right bullshit. There is only one party, for the banks and financial sector, by the banks and financial sector.

Now just what the fuck are you going to actually do about it?

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:39 | 2376343 HurricaneSeason

That isn't the way I remember it. The trillion dollar bank bailout was actually after the presidential election and before Obama took office. I give that to Bush although he wasn't a lucky guy anyway(sitting in an elementary school during 9/11).

I remember it as BushII taking it from $5 trillion in the hole to $10 trillion in the hole with a commitment to 2 wars, all to accomplish 2 wins and zero losses in the history book, instead of failing at 25 cent an hour Chinese labor and healthcare. I believe Obama has all the skills necessary to add a couple war commitments(or one really big one) along with another $10 or $20 trillion in debt. Geithner says we don't even want to hear the new bailout number. Comparing Bush and Obama accomplishments is like comparing a pile of shit to a pile of vomit. It's apples and oranges and is irrelevant to any problems at hand.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:36 | 2376334 Uncle Remus

Zoom zoom zoom.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:36 | 2376331 Joe Davola

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=952h-AJ3Bcg

Except, let's avoid that chiseler in Omaha also.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:31 | 2376320 LawsofPhysics

Exponential equations are indeed a bitch and seriously misunderstood.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 12:06 | 2376901 NeedleDickTheBu...

“The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.”

Dr. Albert A. Bartlett
Professor Emeritus – Physics
University of Colorado

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 09:07 | 2376261 geno-econ

Must be a Toyota with a faulty accelerator pedal. Japan has the same problem

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 10:19 | 2376463 gdogus erectus

Like being stuck on a bridge with a Pinto in front of you and an Audi 5000 behind you.

Mon, 06/18/2012 - 21:29 | 2538044 rajonmestra

Yeah, I do feel the same way. But an Audi behind you would make you want to own and drive one right? Audi's a great car yeah?

Tue, 06/19/2012 - 00:36 | 2538558 ndrewoods

Yeah, Audi is a great car. But together with this luxury car is a high maintenance need. One may spend a fortune to buy an Audi parts or just by checking with some dealer. But such cars only breaks a few times in a lifetime. Anyway, good road trip, not great and not that bad but can do better.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 06:54 | 2375953 Wakanda

Bad trip

Good analogy

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 08:38 | 2376138 1100-TACTICAL-12

Go speed racer go .

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 04:55 | 2375857 falak pema

What is interesting to compare is :

1° the rate of monetary growth M2 vs true GDP growth over the periods.

2° the rate of public debt growth vs GDP growth over the periods

3° the rate of fiscal deficit growth vs gdp growth

4° the rate of private sector debt (banks) vs gdp growth.

5° the rate of energy price (oil) growth vs gdp growth over the period

6° the rate of gold price growth vs gdp growth over the period

It would give a clear picture of where the economy is moving and what the consequences are of this movement and momentum, in terms of fiat measure and commodity measure.

Thu, 04/26/2012 - 02:53 | 2375792 praps