I’m not an economist…

But, I DO own a bank account, and have been taught since early childhood to be “responsible with my money.”  My bank allows me to “go over,” aka, pay $25.00 per transaction, up to $750.00 in overdraft protection.  This a wonderful tool, and assures that we’ll never bounce a check on the first of the month!

However – I am expected to pay it back.  To return the money, essentially loaned to me, by my Credit Union.  If I don’t? I am assessed fees, and I start the next month with an even bigger hole than previously.

Also? Children learn by example.  So we are trying to be good examples for Malka and Noah Matan with our money.  (emphasis on trying!)

So here’s my dilemma. And what I’m not sure I understand.  Americans are being told to be frugal, and NOT to use credit cards, and to “pay down their debt.” YET AT THE SAME TIME, the people that should be “leading by example” have just passed (or promised to pass) a bill that would take this country a few more BILLION into debt.

So to WHOM does congress owe this money? To me?  To you?  How does this work? And what would YOU cut to reduce the budget? Wouldn’t it make more sense to start at the core?  When we needed to “tighten our financial belts,” the first thing that went was cable.  We saved about $75.00 per month.  I made my 2 week dinner menu rotation plan, which saves us quite a bit each month. We are trying to use less paper towels, more rags, etc. If you look at the money that congress is spending, it seems that a LOT of the money they are spending is going to “Defense.”  Now I totally support our troops, even if I’m not a fan of war.  But I support the troops (aka, PEOPLE) that are overseas risking their lives, and I think that they should be given all of the protections they can.  So to tighten that little (bajillion) line on America’s spreadsheet, could we hurry up and finish what we started, bring everyone home, and stop sticking our nose where it doesn’t belong? That’d save a BUNCH, I bet!  And while we’re at it, before cutting the money from Social Security (that people currently getting it have already PAID INTO it), how about we cut electricity bills?  Make everyone turn off their dang lights.  Start small, and chip away at it – don’t cut what’s vital to many of our parents living and surviving.

Here’s a link to the Whitehouse budget page.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget

I still don’t get it.  Can someone explain it to me in layman’s terms – why are we TRILLIONS of dollars in debt, and how do we fix it?  And to WHOM is the interest being paid?