What do you think caused the debt in America?

[Tresbn00]

I thin that there are so many things that caused the debt crisis that we currently live through in America.  I think that Government spending went hay wire with new programs that weren't nearly as important as the ones that are getting discarded.  Our educational system is a humorless joke that gets more and more depressing everyday.  No more music, art, cutbacks on athletics?  I dropped over three hundred dollars on my daughter's books (for two classes) yesterday.  She has to put in ten hours of voluteer work a week so that her marching band can stay alive.  I dropped five hundred dollars on her tennis. Seriously?

[Abrupt]

Not quite sure how you come up with the conclusion that Social Security is the Government Dole when we are the ones who put the money in there in the first place and all the Government did was steal from it.

It shouldn't have been a government dole, but it has become worse than that (but make no mistake, it isn't like it is people actively seeking a handout or anything it is people holding the government accountable for the system they were forced into -- after all it wasn't as if we could opt out).  Originally it was a fund for widows and orphans I believe, it was later that it was turned into a ponzi scheme.  I don't know when it happened but the government basically robbed this fund (if such can be applied as it is all fungible I suppose).  To pay what they were obligated to pay on these they borrow 40 cents on the dollar and are charging that to the taxpayers including the unborn taxpayers.  I would be surprised to ever see a penny back from it myself and even if I did I would wonder how much ever penny I got would end up costing us all in the long run (a dollar?  more?).  It is another example of the inherent ineptitude of the government and one can only imagine how much worse they will be since they have taken over healthcare (if it is allowed to persist).  It isn't a handout though.

[mgint]

people buying too much on credit and others who invested poorly.

[southernhorizons]

Absolutely agree with a post I read on here earlier.....WELFARE in this country is deplorable!!!  I currently know of so much abuse with food stamps, wic, medicade, etc...its pathetic!!!  Females that I have worked with....living with boyfriends but getting low income housing, food stamps, daycare expenses paid etc..

Or what about all the stimulus money that the current horrible president gave to all these "low income people" I have known numerous women that got $12,000 back in taxes, didn't have to turn it in as income on their food stamps or anything, but yet didn't even pay income taxes because they didn't make enough, but they are waitresses so they never even have to report it!!  Its DISGUSTING, try working in a place that  you have to listen to all this crap,  I knew of 4 women just on my shift coming into work braggin about all their income tax money they were getting this has been for the last couple years in a row!!  People wonder what is wrong with this country???  Seriously??? 

I believe Food Stamps can be a very helpful program, I have no problem with it, but when abuse like this is so common these days, then its time to reevaluate guidelines for the program.

Which then leads to the next equiation of this countrys problem....NOBODY wants to work they get more to do nothing!!  How can medicare be supported by the next generation when the next generation doesn't work? 

Recently work was set to have mandatory overtime...no problem money would be great, but almost 50% went out in taxes, that is crazy!!  Especially when people are getting $12,000 of my hard earned money and they aren't doing nothing!!

Wow, you sure said it all! I felt the same way when I worked at the hospital; there were x-ray techs there getting a ton of money back because they had kids and were living with their boyfriends instead of getting married. And they had good paying jobs! On top of that all the welfare people would come in to the ER for the dumbest stuff, just because they didn't have to pay for it (we are footing the bill). I didn't even have health insurance. Finally I couldn't take it any more, and I got a different job that paid less, but at least I'm not exposed to all the lazy cheaters getting rich off my hard earned money. You said it right about the overtime. It's a shame that we can't improve our situation by working harder and more hours, because the government just takes all the extra that we work for. I pretty much gave up working overtime, although we don't have much right now anyway because there's not a lot of work in my department.