The National Debt, Explained Simply

Imagine for a moment that your parents gave you everything you ever wanted in life: a big house, expensive toys, electronics, luxury vacations, sports cars, private schools, college, entertainment, fun—you had it all.

You never asked if your mom and dad actually made enough money. You just saw everything was available to you, and they never talked about their finances. Some days they seemed relaxed, other days a bit worried… pretty normal for a family. So you never questioned a thing.

But behind the scenes, there was a different reality:

Your parents were making less money than they needed to sustain the lifestyle you were living. And even though they knew it, every time the money didn’t stretch far enough, they went to the bank for a loan or opened a new credit card to cover the difference.

Your parents had good intentions. To them, even if the debt kept growing year after year, it was an “investment” in their children. They believed that one day, you’d be successful enough —both professionally and financially— to pay off that debt and still be “okay” money-wise.

Time goes by, and mom and dad are no longer around —that’s just life. Now the kids have their own families… and the credit card bills from back then start showing up in their names. Because nothing in this world is truly free, no matter how much some people want us to believe otherwise.

The children went on to repeat the same habits of mom and dad in their own families —with the same good intentions. They’ve continued taking on debt, convinced that their kids will “have it better in the future.”

But now, they’re not only carrying the weight of the debt they’ve taken on to support their own families —they’re also stuck with the bill for all those years of luxuries their parents gave them.

Because mom and dad are no longer here… and someone has to pay.

This is how public debt works.

Every new administration spends more than it collects in taxes —meaning it has more expenses than income. But politicians know they won’t be in office when the bill comes due, so they borrow money “in the name of public welfare.”

Here’s how it works: the government issues Treasury Bonds, which are basically promises to pay in the future. These bonds are bought by banks, foreign governments, and even the Federal Reserve. It’s debt… passed down from generation to generation.

Maybe you and I don’t notice it, because we’re busy living day to day and enjoying the supposed “benefits” of the Welfare State. But every single day, our money loses value because of inflation.

Governments also raise taxes to make up the difference. Our savings lose purchasing power, the economy slows down, and opportunities shrink. Everything gets harder.

Every day, the dollars we earn —through our time, effort, and knowledge— buy less than they did the day before. Governments are literally throwing away the most valuable resource we have as human beings, one we can’t ever get more of: our time.

But it’s not just the government’s fault. Every person demanding “free” things from the State isn’t asking for a costless gift —they’re asking to satisfy a whim today, so that their children —and the children of others— can pay for it tomorrow. What they’re really asking is for the State to go even deeper into debt. And since politicians won’t be the ones footing the bill, they’re more than happy to say yes… while passing the burden onto future generations.

Politicians have entire teams dedicated to studying human behavior. They know that the average citizen is willing to sacrifice their own future —and that of others— in exchange for momentary pleasure and short-term rewards.

Democratic systems have this built-in weakness: every 4, 5, or 6 years, someone new comes into power and “inherits the debt”… only to take on even more.

The U.S. government now pays $1 trillion a year in interest alone. That money doesn’t go to building more roads, improving public services, healthcare, or security. It doesn’t mean new schools or hospitals. It’s money going to the past… to cover old debts.

Why should we care? Because every day we complain that “the cost of living is too high,” that “we can’t afford what we need,” or that “capitalism doesn’t work.” But it’s been leftist public policies —backed by powerful lobbying groups— that have fueled the demand for “free stuff” in exchange for more inflation, more taxes, more debt, less freedom… and poorer generations.

I’ll close with this:

It’s no coincidence that, with each passing day, everything the government provides gets more expensive, while goods and services from the private sector become more affordable.

Healthcare, education, money, protection… every single thing we ask the government to give us “for free” adds another charge to the national debt. Sure, politicians are the ones swiping the card. But when someone believes they have a right to receive all that without giving anything in return, they’re actually asking the government to fulfill a whim today… by putting it on the credit cards of their own children —and other people’s children too.