In the wake of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and the ensuing federal stimulus efforts, no economic subject has drawn as much attention or attracted as much controversy as the national debt and federal and state budget deficits. This book gets past the overheated rhetoric and political posturing to explain clearly how and why governments borrow money, how and why they engage in deficit spending, and the short- and long-term effects such practices have on the economy. Even-handed and nonpartisan, this book allows readers to understand the actual economic mechanics at work beneath all the hype. As such, it is a welcome, calming corrective to a partisan debate that has obscured economic realities and muddled the effort to guarantee a sound economy for future generations of Americans.
