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usonian

(25,302 posts)
Mon Mar 23, 2026, 05:17 PM Mar 23

The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media (somehow) missed it. [View all]

https://fortune.com/2026/03/23/us-government-insolvent-fiscal-crisis-fix/
https://web.archive.org/web/20260323190551/https://fortune.com/2026/03/23/us-government-insolvent-fiscal-crisis-fix/

By Steve H. Hanke
and David M. Walker
March 23, 2026, 11:14 AM ET

Steve Hanke is a professor of applied economics at The Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Board of Directors at the Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation. He is the co-editor, with Barry W. Poulson and John Merrifield, of Public Debt Sustainability: International Perspectives (Lexington Books, 2022). David M. Walker is the former Comptroller General of the United States and the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation.

The U.S. government is insolvent. That’s not hyperbole — it’s the conclusion drawn directly from the Treasury Department’s own consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2025, released last week to near-total media silence. The numbers: $6.06 trillion in total assets against $47.78 trillion in total liabilities as of September 30, 2025.

Importantly, the $47.78 trillion in reported liabilities does not include the unfunded obligations of social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare — those are disclosed separately in the off-balance-sheet Statement of Social Insurance (SOSI).

The government’s consolidated balance sheet position, excluding the SOSI, deteriorated by nearly $2.07 trillion between FY 2024 and FY 2025, reaching a staggering negative $41.72 trillion. Total liabilities are now nearly eight times the value of reported assets. The largest drivers were a $2 trillion increase in federal debt and interest payable (now $30.33 trillion) and a $438.8 billion increase in federal employee and veteran benefits payable (now $15.47 trillion).

snip

Congress has clearly lost control of the nation’s finances. America is facing a fiscal catastrophe. The reckoning, long deferred, is becoming impossible to ignore.


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Then we should sell off our 1%. markodochartaigh Mar 23 #1
That's a novel idea. Don't tax them, don't deport them. Sell them off, factories and all. bucolic_frolic Mar 23 #2
But who would want to buy them? haele Mar 23 #3
Bring out the Gimp. JoseBalow Mar 23 #17
Great idea. James48 Mar 23 #7
Stunning malaise Mar 23 #4
Governmental accounting differs from business accounting. Not just a little either. twodogsbarking Mar 23 #5
Not really news just the debt numbers climb a bit. Should be a plank in the Dem platform to address for some time now. dutch777 Mar 23 #6
If only we had somoene to run our government like a business. ffr Mar 23 #8
Yep, that's exactly what he's doing - running it like those 6 businesses of his that went bankrupt. TheRickles Mar 23 #10
What social programs are left for GOP to cut? IronLionZion Mar 23 #9
Little dark humor Blue Full Moon Mar 23 #11
They need to pay up. Blue Full Moon Mar 23 #12
And bezos litteraly gave like $40 millions to the nude model in the Epstein circle. Justice matters. Mar 23 #18
As Reagan used to say, the Government spends like a drunken sailor. COL Mustard Mar 23 #13
The national debt... crossed $39 trillion--almost doubling since Trump vowed to erase it Justice matters. Mar 23 #21
And he'll get it... COL Mustard Mar 23 #23
I believe that there was a Roman Emperor Dan Mar 23 #14
Modern Romans have other ways to take your money. usonian Mar 23 #15
No doubt he would do it but he'd keep the money... Justice matters. Mar 23 #22
The only thing he's successful at is bankruptcy. BigmanPigman Mar 23 #16
Funny how we aren't hearing the GOP braying incessantly about the deficit Zorro Mar 23 #19
Get it back from them who stole it. Kid Berwyn Mar 23 #20
We just sent 3000 airmen to the Middle east Oppaloopa Mar 24 #24
Something something something Six117 Monday #25
He's winning every day that one or more horiffic videos are not released. usonian Monday #26
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