Why NOW is the debt in need of drastic reduction; why NOW our #1 priority?

[WinkyDink]

Didn't we exist for decades before and after Clinton without a surplus?
Anyway, there is no way in Hades we are going to "pay off" our debt; it is a Sisyphean task.

I think Obama is no longer the smartest guy in the room.

[WhiteTara]

1. When Democrats get into powers, the ones who made

the mess demand it. We're so stupid, we let them make the mess so we can clean it up.

[rurallib]

2. the media - FOX in particular - used to set agenda it seems.

[raccoon]

3. Because a Democrat is in the WH. Apparently, when a Republican is, deficits don't matter. nt

[Uben]

4. Because there is no better time than the present

We do need to cut the debt. We need to live within our means, now!

I have lived my entire life frugally to avoid debt. It worked for me and it will work for America, too. All spending should be based on revenue received. If you haven't got the money, you can't buy it! Why on earth are we borrowing money to fight the struggles of other countries when it is sinking us further in debt? We spent so much treasure and human life in Iraq, for what?
We didn't even get the fucking oil! The same is happening in Afghanistan.

I don't owe anyone a dime and I don't like having my share of the debt rising because some fucking politician thinks the military needs a boost and starts a war. I don't want a dime of my money going to any religion or religious based program. I don't want a dime of my money going to subsidies for oil companies that are fucking the shit out of me at the pump! I don't want any of my money going to corporate farmers to NOT plant crops!

There is so much pork to cut, we could be out of debt in fifteen or twenty years if we had a congress that knew math!

[exboyfil]

5. Whether you address it with additional taxes

or less spending, it needs to be addressed. Remember someone needs to purchase the debt. Right now the Fed is purchasing a lot of the debt (effectively making money out of thin air). How much more do you want them to do this? The fact that Social Security is close to or is actually liquidating its debt to pay benefits means that once was a a method to conceal the spending versus taxes gap is now going to go in the opposite direction. For those who have been prudent all their lives and have saved, we would like to avoid seeing the currency turned into toilet paper (monetizing the debt). You have the ghost of inflation, even hyperinflation looming. Wage slaves are hurt most by inflation especially real inflation which involves food, housing, clothing, transportation, medical, and education - those areas which it is difficult to avoid spending (unless you decide not to go to college). I really don't care if electronics are getting cheaper if ground beef goes up in price or my property taxes increases. No way my employer will keep up with inflation.

[piratefish08]

6. we allow the right and the media to control the agenda.

Obama is just along for the ride.

[JHB]

7. Because if we don't stop Saddam RIGHT NOW he'll use his WMDs....

...oops! Sorry, wrong crisis. Must be that deja vu all over again feeling I get.

[WatsonT]

8. For some of us it has been for a while