Talking to people online is an experience. Often, if we agree, it is okay. But when we disagree, the lack of facial and other physical clues makes it difficult to make a point, but easier to think we got the better of the argument. Getting the last word and shutting down the conversation is soooo satisfying.

One of the hardest “debates” to have is about Climate Change. A warming climate to uneducated people (see how I got the first insult?) means we won’t have winters. This is a “short view”, a style of critical thinking prevalent in America: it makes sense in the moment. Warming climate, no winters. But…

“The existence of winter doesn’t disprove climate change,” says Stuart Evans, assistant professor of geography at the University of Buffalo. “Climate change is a long-term trend that makes winter warmer, but it’s not erasing the occurrence of winter.”

This quote is used because of the phrase “long term”.  Very few of our current world problems (and personal problems) have short-term solutions, but immediacy is of the most importance, these days. The end result is one side makes a case for short term solutions while the other advocates for long-term, with both thinking they are correct. The sad part is they are, technically, both correct: one for now, the short term, and the other for the long term.

Case in point: We have always had a Federal Debt. Google it. Almost every president (google Andrew Jackson) has added to the debt which is now over $36.22 TRILLION dollars. As you research the National Debt the main drivers of the increases are wars, natural disaster, and tax cuts. “Servicing” the debt, paying the interest only, is costing nearly $800 billion dollars a year and rising. It is important to note a majority of this debt is “owned” by Americans.

It needs to be addressed after nearly 200 years of “kicking the can down the road” with short term solutions.

Debt is caused by spending (expense) more money than we take in (revenue). So the solution is less expense, and more revenue, right?

In 2001 Bush lowered taxes, which lowered revenues. Then, 9/11 happened and Bush spent billions–we did not have–on middle eastern wars. (Remember: they all do it’) To solve the Financial Crisis in 2008, Obama chose to extend those tax cuts while working with congress to spend over $831 billion (we did not have. See?) on financial recovery. Trump added more tax cuts in 2018 and spent billions (we did not have) on pandemic relief in 2019-2020. Biden left taxes alone, basically, while spending billions (we did not have) on pandemic recovery. So now what?

It appears Trump47 has decided to try and pay off the debt in one year. (After Trump45 contributed his share.). Noble, and not a bad start…but short term. Our Federal Government is not a “for-profit” enterprise and cannot be run like a business. We need some sound business principles (lower costs more revenue, for example) but when disasters strike, wars break out, or pandemics hit…people who can never pay it back, need monetary help from the government. Business principles are the last thing we want to hear about when we lose everything to a hurricane and need help just to survive.

So, again, what do we do?

Sidebar: It might be a good idea to look at taxes as insurance premiums. We can call them Government Insurance Premiums because that is what they are. None of us could afford to build our own roads, set up our power supply, or take care of Grandma when she needs 10 years in a long-term care facility. Paying our “premiums” helps roads, power grids, and other essentials of daily living. (No discussion of waste, here, but remember anytime humans are involved with money–especially men– waste is almost impossible to control. (See Madoff, Musk, Trump, etc.)

So. When we talk about lowering the debt, the long term solution is to cut expenses and raise revenues. But can we afford to cut expenses? Covid is an example: remember the dead bodies piled up outside morgues? Our government’s rush to get supplies and equipment to where they were needed? It is a mean, and short-sighted person who would cut expenses that help people in times of need.

But that is our current 2025 approach: cut, cut, cut…expenses…short term. At the same time, though, Trump wants to cut taxes/revenues. Cut expenses and cut revenues? What will that do to the debt? And where are all the unemployed, uninsured fired employees going to go?

The long view: Conservative Republicans want to get rid of government, altogether. Not a bad idea for the short term in perfect weather with full employment and ethical billionaires. When it comes to governance, Republicans have no “long view.”

For those of us not connected, not rich, and powerless…it’s going to be a long, hard four years.

And after…?