Some are dumb, most are corrupted by power to their very core, and even more are ignorant or completely apathetic to the longer-term damage they are doing by implementing or not repealing programs and policies that are bankrupting our nation. Before Obamacare even does it's damage we have $125 Trillion in unfunded obligations, we are $17 Trillion in debt, and we keep spending $1 Trillion (give or take $500 Billion or so) annually more than we are able to collect. The last time we actually paid down the Federal Debt (actual decrease in the amount we owe) was in 1951 where we reduced the debt at that time by a whopping 1%. Since then, the past 62 years, our debt and our unfunded (unfundable liabilities) has grown by an average of 7% per annum. Over the past decade it has grown even faster than the 62-year average (though it was much worse in the 70's and 80's when D's had majority control over both judicial chambers through most of that time). R's are equally responsible for not fixing the out of control spending so they don't win any prizes either. If you look at a graph (I have one but can't figure out how to insert my own image on this site anymore) you'll notice an exponential explosion of debt that started in 2003 where went from $6 Trillion to now $17 Trillion or nearly a tripling of debt in 10 years. Another way to look at it was in 1980 our total accumulated debt was just under $1 Trillion (five decades worth of overspending) Now we over spend by that same $1 Trillion ever year. That's a level of fiscal irresponsibility in D.C. that is without equal in our history. Finally, let's go back to the $125 Trillion in future obligations. If we take in $2.5 Trillion in receipts, then if we allocated 100% of those to cover our unfunded liabilities under these social programs, then it would take 50 years just to rightsize that figure. However since we overspend not underspend each and every year, there's no way to fund our obligations, pay down our debt or get out of this mess with our current mentality.
