We the people have a big problem right now. The national debt is climbing again to $37 trillion and the interest that taxpayers will pay this year is $952 billion.

Some are thinking, “That’s not real money, it’s not on me!” Actually, that is real money. It will be paid this year and it will be more next year.

The efforts of DOGE haven’t even reduced the deficit much and the proposed budget (the “big, beautiful bill”) will add trillions more to the current debt (again, all real money).

The Democrats face a tough challenge to identify how their agenda will have to fit within this new reality that deficit spending is no longer an option. The USA has become a “risky investment” for the world to put its currency into. We will have to pay greater interest rates to borrow.

I consider the inability of our country to borrow more money as a positive thing. This should force discipline into the national budget. Congress will have to figure out how to balance a budget with $1 trillion in interest for every year. Can they do it? If they can’t, we need to fire them.

Both parties will be forced to work together to get the government to a responsible fiscal position. This will be a combination of major cuts to military spending and a reinvention of our health care system, and increasing taxes on everyone. There will be sacrifices all the way around.

Tom Turner
Augusta