The national debt crisis, which has reached $40 trillion, and critiques mainstream media narratives surrounding the causes of this increase. It emphasizes that the narrative accusing tax cuts and military spending is misleading.
1. Misleading Media Narratives: Mainstream journalists are portrayed as focusing on wars in the Middle East and tax cuts as key reasons for the rising national debt, while ignoring the significant rise in federal spending over the years.
2. Federal Spending Growth: Federal spending has increased nearly 300% in the past 25 years. The editorial argues that this disproportionate growth in spending, rather than tax cuts or wars, is the real cause of the debt increase.
3. Tax Revenue Insights:
Federal revenues increased by 159% since 2000, and tax revenues as a share of GDP remain stable at around 17.4%, the same as the historical average from 1946 to 2000.
Tax cuts from Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump are claimed to have merely maintained revenues without causing significant shortfalls.
4. Spending Trends:
The average federal spending from 1946 to 2000 was 19% of GDP. The last budget surplus occurred when spending was below this average.
Spending since then has continued to escalate due in part to stimulus plans by Presidents Obama and Biden, which the editorial argues were unnecessary and contributed to sluggish economic growth.
5. Entitlement Programs: The expansion of entitlement programs under Obama and Biden has set a higher trajectory for federal spending, compounding the issue.
6. Bipartisan Spending: The commentary emphasizes that increased spending is not solely the fault of one political party, as both parties have contributed to the problem through bipartisan spending increases.
7. Proposed Solutions: The key solution suggested is to cut spending or at least moderate its growth so that it aligns with historic averages relative to GDP. This step is presented as essential to address the national debt effectively.
The editorial concludes by firmly stating that the current national debt crisis is primarily due to excessive spending, not just tax policies or military expenditures. The only viable path to resolve the debt issue is through significant reductions in spending, urging readers to understand this fundamental issue rather than accepting the misleading narratives often presented in the media.
https://issuesinsights.com/2026/08/25/lies-damned-lies-and-a-40-t-debt/
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