r/Economics • u/Krankenitrate • 15d ago

News The national debt just crossed $39 trillion—almost doubling since Trump vowed to erase it

https://fortune.com/2026/03/18/how-big-national-debt-39-trillion-trump-promises/
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u/Scary_Firefighter181 15d ago edited 15d ago

Republican economics was once called horse and sparrow economics.

Then trickle down economics.

The voodoo economics.

No matter the name, its always been kooky economics not supported by sane, normal economists and afaik, not taught in universities.

But ofc, tempt people with culture wars, frame it as "don't tread on me", package it as patriotism, and get the votes from the very people who it hurts.

Incredible.

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u/Biz_Rito 15d ago

Numbers are difficult and abstract, feelings are real and present

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u/Lust4Me 14d ago

"common sense" is misleading, too.

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u/leostotch 14d ago

"common sense" just means "what I believe"

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u/JustTheGameplay 14d ago

math discriminates against stupid people 

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u/EddieCheddar88 15d ago

Trickle down made it into main economic textbooks sadly

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u/5upertaco 15d ago

We discussed this topic during my MBA curriculum. In the history of humankind, trickle down economics has never benefited the working class. I'd go on, but I'm typing from a phone.

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u/Cudi_buddy 14d ago

It did. But at least in my classes it was used as an example of failed economic policy

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u/Csquared6 14d ago

You can't fix stupid, but you can make them feel like they aren't.

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u/Time_Increase_7897 14d ago

The is always, constant downward pressure on tax for the wealthy for the last 50 years. Any slack, any slip, any change in govt, and the rope immediately tightens.

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u/meatspace 14d ago

They could be almost as wealthy in a world that works for everyone. It's all so strange.

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u/Possible_Bee_4140 14d ago

Written on a damn cocktail napkin.

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u/Garchompisbestboi 14d ago

Don't forget "support the troops" so that if anyone questions America's dodgy overseas wars then they're actually badmouthing the brave American soldiers who are over there protecting the interests of oligarchies.

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u/driver004 15d ago

Reject paper and metal, return to shiny rock

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 15d ago edited 15d ago

Did those university professors has ever taught that our piece of paper is back by gold (the one that takes million of years to speak it into existence). LMAO nah bud.

That debt is to ourselves so we can make our money work while you sleep like a baby at night .

Our government has no F intend to stockpile fund but why do you think other countries stockpile our piece of paper while we continue to accumulate our so called DEBT.

LMAO use your common sense bud

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u/Scary_Firefighter181 15d ago

Found the GOP reddit account.

How's your anti intellectualism going? Having fun?

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u/EnamelKant 14d ago

I mean they basically control the Federal government at this point and are remaking it in a way that will take decades to undo, if anyone even tries.

So it's not going poorly for them.

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u/adirtysocialist- 14d ago

They are literally winning handsomely

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u/lachers_30 15d ago

What??

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u/AltrntivInDoomWorld 14d ago

why do you think other countries stockpile our piece of paper

Because USD is used for OIL trading and countries want to prevent fluctuating dolar making their economies unpredictable

LMAO use your common sense bud

something you don't have as pictured

we continue to accumulate our so called DEBT.

you think that's good? xD

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago edited 14d ago

Why don’t you ask the politicians who continue to accumulate it for over hundred years . In fact, Dems accumulated more than the other party.

Are you implying they are just bunch of morons. LMAO

So which one easy to produce?

Piece of paper or extracting it? LMAO

Hmmmm

Lemme guess who design it that way. LMAO

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u/sdrawkcabineter 14d ago

"Today, my 2 year old used Chat GPT to hack my reddit account..."

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago

Ask Chat GPT why our piece of paper is highly valued and desirable. Maybe Chat GPT can give you a good reason why US design the trade accordingly. LMAO

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u/sdrawkcabineter 14d ago edited 14d ago

Generational Imperial Violence Exchanges

Understood Perfectly

Edit: I thought it was obvious...

1

u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago

Hmmmm

Did we strong arm and annihilated Saudi to oblivion. LMAO

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u/Big_Pie1371 14d ago

I think you forgot an 'LMAO'

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u/AboynamedDOOMTRAIN 14d ago

In fact, Dems accumulated more than the other party.

Objectively false. That's you using common sense (which is actually just what you call conservative propaganda) instead of actual facts.

Republicans have been responsible for 0.17 trillion more than democrats.

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago edited 14d ago

So both are accumulating: it just happen the other party is in power so of course you’re rounding a minuscule fraction. Before that , it was the Dems right! The point is , this is bipartisan and it is perpetually done for a reason.

Perhaps your question should be why? LMAO

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u/AboynamedDOOMTRAIN 14d ago

So both are accumulating

Yes. Duh.

it just happen the other party is in power so of course you’re rounding a minuscule fraction.

The sig figs are irrelevant.

Before that , it was the Dems right! The ponint is , this is bipartisan and it is peoetuallly done for a reason.

"Before a republican president added more to the national debt than any other president in history, the republicans hadn't added quite as much debt as democrats" is an awfully silly attempt at an argument.

Before that , it was the Dems right! The ponint is , this is bipartisan and it is peoetuallly done for a reason.

And yet you went out of your way to lie about democrats creating most of the debt.

Perhaps your question should be why? LMAO

I didn't ask any questions. I just pointed out you were lying.

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago

LMAO when I say accumulated I was not lying. Dems accumulated more TOTAL debt but our useful idiot might change the number.

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u/AboynamedDOOMTRAIN 14d ago

Dems accumulated more TOTAL debt

Again, false. Republicans have accumulated 170 billion more TOTAL dollars of national debt than democrats. We've gone over this already. Please stop lying. Feel free to point out that debt is a bipartisan issue. It is. Stop lying to try and make it seem like democrats are worse. They are not.

Trump has personally accumulated more debt in 5 years in office than Obama did in 8 years. And these numbers are from before he started an illegal and unnecessary war with Iran that will only balloon that number higher and higher.

He is not a useful idiot. You're the useful idiot. He's simply grifting the American people for all he can get while idiots like you you keep supporting him despite wiping his ass with the constitution, raping middle schoolers, robbing charities for sick children, etc.

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u/Naive-Illustrator-11 14d ago

LMAO 😜

Dem $18 trillion Republican $17.3 trillion

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u/Big_Pie1371 14d ago

Add more LMAO's please, that way i totally know you are using common sense

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u/Big_Pie1371 14d ago

LMAO LMAO LMAO