???

[Buckrub]

No political agenda..........just a simple math question, that I don't understand.

If the government is mostly shut down, and not funded now, and the income is the same (nothing has changed in the income department), then why is the Debt continuing to grow? I'd think it'd be reversing, and rapidly. But it's not, it's growing.

If the answer is "interest on the debt", then even completely shutting down ALL outlays, everything, while keeping revenue the same, would never pay off the debt, would it?

Huh????

[Thumper]

First off, I'd guess the payroll costs continue on. I'd be willing to bet, most of the workers "laid off" will get back-pay once they return to work (a paid "vacation"). I haven't really kept up with it. Are they eligible for unemployment? 'Course, some call it a "slim-down" ... we'd have to get downright skinny to make a dent in the National debt!

[Buckrub]

OK. But that's not my question really. Yes they are eligible for unemployment. Yes they have already been voted backpay when this resumes. It's a paid vacation, and if they get unemployment, it's double pay.

I understand why income is insufficient to pay down the debt (reduce it) when we have 100% spending the way we have. I still do not understand why income is NOT sufficient to reduce the debt when we have highly reduced spending. I mean, it's SHUT DOWN, right? So why are we not reducing debt daily?

And if we are not, and you can explain why, then explain how much income and/or further spending reduction it'd take to actually reduce the debt daily.

It's a math question.

[Thumper]

Well, you have to use government math ...

10 minus 8 is .... ummmm ... 12!