Last week, the national debt pushed above $32 trillion. This is a ticking time bomb that will eventually explode.
The great anti-federalist Brutus wrote, “I can scarcely contemplate a greater calamity that could befall this country, than to be loaded with a debt exceeding their ability ever to discharge.”
And here we are.
With little fanfare, the national debt blew past $32 trillion last week.
Congress “solved” the debt ceiling problem by effectively eliminating borrowing limits for the next two years. But it did nothing to address the underlying problem. And that underlying problem is painfully obvious when you look at the monthly budget deficits the federal government continues to run month after month.
In May, the Biden administration piled another $240.3 billion onto the fiscal 2023 deficit, running it to $1.38 trillion with four months left to go, according to the latest Monthly Treasury Statement.
The debt ceiling drama ended with fake budget cuts and a shiny new credit card with no limit for the federal government. We can now expect a big surge in the national debt as the US government plays catch up after nearly six months up against its borrowing limit.
So, how might this impact the price of gold?
If history is any indication, it will likely drive it higher.
With the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, the fake debt ceiling fight is over.
The federal government walked away from the deal with a shiny new credit card that has no limits.
And what did we get?
Spending “cuts” that actually increase spending and another great big tax increase.
We have a debt ceiling deal.
And the deal is there is functionally no debt ceiling until January 2025.
If you buy gold or silver, you’re going to pay a premium. So, what exactly is a premium and how is it determined? In this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap, host Mike Maharrey answers common questions about premiums. He also discusses the debt ceiling deal and reveals where Americans rank gold as a long-term investment.
The debt ceiling “crisis” is coming to a head. We’re pretty confident Republicans and Democrats will strike a deal and raise the debt ceiling. That’s supposed to solve the problem. But Friday Gold Wrap podcast host Mike Maharrey says the solution is the problem. In this episode, he also offers some bullish perspective on silver.
We are in the midst of yet another debt ceiling fight.
This is mostly political theater. That being the case, both Democrats and Republicans are using the drama in an effort to score political points and push policy in their preferred direction.
And since politicians are involved, they’re telling a lot of lies.
The debt ceiling fight is getting down to the wire. In a letter to Congress on Monday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that without a debt ceiling increase, it was highly likely the government wouldn’t be able to meet all of its obligations by “early June, and potentially as early as June 1.”
Despite the drama, I still expect Congress to get a deal done. And that’s when the real problems begin.
