US Government Debt Different - Finance Department - University of ...

Jim MillsteinThere will inevitably be objections to the downsizing of a nation thatwas largely assembled through annexation and purchase over the pasttwo hundred and fifty years. But the reality of the current politicalstalemate between the parties has put into question our ability tofund the “manifest destiny” to which generations of Americans havesubscribed. And so, before we find ourselves forced to sell these assetsunder duress, policymakers should consider developing a plan to sellthem in an orderly fashion to obtain their maximum value, bring ourdebt down, and put our budget on a sustainable footing.167