Piling it on our grandkids

Consider the national debt, now nearly equal to the gross national product, or about $80,000 for every person in the country. It is, simply put, the amount by which expenditures exceed income of the nation. It waxes and wanes as expenses or taxes rise or fall.

Debt increases are justified for the immediate defense of the nation or to make extraordinary infrastructure repairs following an unforeseen disaster. The living taxpayers should pay the expenses of the governmental goods and services they enjoy during their lifetimes or from their estates.

The national debt shifts the burden of taxation for today’s expenses to future generations. This is justified for existential threats and repairs because the future generations will get some benefit from today’s spending. It is not fair to the future to shift current expenses to the unborn, who cannot vote.

For the past 60 years, national debt has risen despite no threatened invasions and few extraordinarily destructive disasters. What has happened is the largest taxpayers have gained the power to choose their legislators through virtually unlimited campaign contributions. They have chosen the ones who promise to cut taxes on the rich. As a result, the policy of the United States Congress has been to shift the burdens of today’s governmental benefits to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren on into the future.

Terry Sawyer

Spokane