US Erection 12 *AND* 16 *AND* 20 *AND* 22 *AND* 24 *AND* Beyond

[Topper]

A recent analysis from investment management firm Doubleline noted that in 2025, the federal net interest payment on the U.S.’s now-$40 trillion national debt reached 18.5% of revenue, surpassing 1991’s record 18.4%. That means the U.S. is collecting nearly 19% of all taxes and revenue just to pay off interest on its ballooning debt, equivalent to $1.25 trillion—more than the entire 2026 defense budget.

Growing interest payments create a cycle: the government must borrow more just to cover the interest, leaving it less flexible to spend on infrastructure, education, and other investments that drive growth.

https://fortune.com/2026/09/07/us-natio ... t-bessent/

[5thhorseman]

Peak interest rates were almost double today's rates in 1991. Which puts the US in a far worse situation now.

[Per]

The corruption in the US under the current regime is mindboggling.

[rikster]

What is more concerning to me is that of the American population who voted in the last 3 elections, almost half voted for him 3 times...

Not to mention the Democrats who thought the best they had to offer in those 3 elections were Clinton, Biden and Harris...

Read an article in the August 10th edition of The New Yorker about Trumps mentor, Roy Cohn...In it they talk about the building of Trump Tower and Cohen directing Trump to hire a concrete company owned by the heads of the Genovese and Gambino crime families...

Anyone who has spent time reading about Trumps past wouldn't find that alarming, not only did he associate with crime families but also the Russian mob, but what is alarming to me is that the Americans are so apathetic about it and their press seem to have given up or are too afraid to report on it....

[UWSaint]

Peak interest rates were almost double today's rates in 1991. Which puts the US in a far worse situation now.

If the debt is older, growing interest rates (and inflation) lessen the true cost of debt. I say this descriptively, not normatively. If I borrow $100 and promise to give you $120 in 5 years, and it takes $135 to buy what could have been bought 5 years ago with $100, then I'm getting to spend the cash when I need it and I am paying back less (in effective value) than I borrowed.

I don't point this out because I support it, but it is an effect of inflation. It aids debtors, doesn't hurt creditors as bad as default (which is the elephant in the room), and screws everyone else, particularly those with a larger percentage of income dedicated to core expenses (food, energy, shelter).

[Ronning's Ghost]

Peak interest rates were almost double today's rates in 1991. Which puts the US in a far worse situation now.

If the debt is older, growing interest rates (and inflation) lessen the true cost of debt. I say this descriptively, not normatively. If I borrow $100 and promise to give you $120 in 5 years, and it takes $135 to buy what could have been bought 5 years ago with $100, then I'm getting to spend the cash when I need it and I am paying back less (in effective value) than I borrowed.

I don't point this out because I support it, but it is an effect of inflation. It aids debtors, doesn't hurt creditors as bad as default (which is the elephant in the room), and screws everyone else, particularly those with a larger percentage of income dedicated to core expenses (food, energy, shelter).

Amusingly (to me) this was also Trudeau Sr.'s approach to the Canadian national debt back in the 70s. If I thought he were that sophisticated, I might even imagine that's why Trump wants lower interest rates. Unfortunately for him, the Fed's mandate incluses price stability, but does not include supporting the administration's fiscal policy.

I strongly suspect that the concept of default is at least influencing the economic outlook of a president who called himself "the king of debt" and had multiple bankruptcies, even if only subconsciously. I think U.S. bond buyers are now asking for a risk premium. Fortunately for them (us, to the extent that Canada still hold U.S. bonds), a plain reading of their constitution makes default unconstitutional. The SCOTUS has been extremely compliant, but has still broadly held to the Republican creed of not fucking with the money stuff.

[Per]

The Danish are playing four dimensional chess while Trump is playing checkers.

The new Greenland agreement Trump is so proud of is basically the same agreement Denmark and the USA made in 1951, which gave the US great leeway to station their military on Greenland. Back then the USA had multiple military bases there, they are now reopening two.
The only real addition to this treaty is that it now states that no country outside of NATO can station troops there, but that has never been a consideration before either. Why would the Danes invite russia or China? But this was apparently important for Trump.
And at the same time, that addition that only NATO can have troops there makes it harder for Trump to threaten to leave NATO.

Anyway, so the Danes basically dusted off this old treaty and had a little signing ceremony arranged.
And now Trump is happy and has stopped threatening to invade and annex.

Oh, wait! There is another difference. The old treaty only had two signatory nations, Denmark and the USA.
This time it is signed by Denmark, the USA and Greenland, and there has been some added text about Greenland’s status as an autonomous part of the Danish Kingdom. But that is only a reflection of the self rule that has been established since the original treaty was signed.

But other than that it is the same treaty they already had.

[donlever]

He doesn't give a fuck.

95% (generalization for optics) of people don't know this, wouldn't bother to look it up or would simply spin it....

He's pandering to monkeys and donkeys who lap it up.

[5thhorseman]

Are they the same as the deplorables?

[2Fingers]

He doesn't give a fuck.

95% (generalization for optics) of people don't know this, wouldn't bother to look it up or would simply spin it....

He's pandering to monkeys and donkeys who lap it up.

Sad to read this and know it is true, but it happens everywhere.

[Meds]

The only real addition to this treaty is that it now states that no country outside of NATO can station troops there, but that has never been a consideration before either. Why would the Danes invite russia or China? But this was apparently important for Trump.
And at the same time, that addition that only NATO can have troops there makes it harder for Trump to threaten to leave NATO.

Who owns the bases?

[Per]

The only real addition to this treaty is that it now states that no country outside of NATO can station troops there, but that has never been a consideration before either. Why would the Danes invite russia or China? But this was apparently important for Trump.
And at the same time, that addition that only NATO can have troops there makes it harder for Trump to threaten to leave NATO.

Who owns the bases?

The bases are owned and operated by the USA, but no territory is ceded and the agreement respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as Greenland's right to self-determination.

I mean, you too can own land in another country, but you need to respect the laws of the country where it sits.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dr74g32g8go