Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[Zeev Hed]

I'll compromise with you, today and tomorrow, keep the vote either open or through PM, but close that window Tuesday morning so as to not clutter the thread. I voted via PM as you already know.

On another point, I don't know why the statistics are talking about a budget blow for this year of "only $400 Billions", in the first 11 monhs of this fiscal year, the national debt has already increased by $563 Billions (from $B 6.228 on 9/30/02, to $B 6.791 as of 8/28/03). Since the average increase in the national debt in the last three months has been $78 B/month, I would assume the growth in the national debt for fiscal 03 (ending at the end of September) will reach a cool $B 641. Yes, I know the national debt grows a little faster than the budget deficit since a good chunk of the new debt is excess social security put in treasuries. Still, we will have competition for funds in the neighborhood of $1.15 Trillion bucks (if we count about $500 billions in international balance of payments deficits).

I have not heard much of the talking heads discussing the implications of such a drain and competition for funds.