Why We Must Choose a Path Before One Is Forced Upon Us

I’ve been thinking a lot about the difficult crossroads our country finds itself at. There’s no denying the numbers are mind‑blowing: debt spiraling upward, obligations growing faster than we can pay, and the consequences of that becoming increasingly visible.  

Here’s how I see it:

1. Borrow until the well runs dry

We keep piling on obligations, assuming someone—Treasury buyers, investors, foreign governments—will keep loaning. But eventually, that well could dry up. When it does, we’d face an abrupt stop: default or bankruptcy. That would wipe out our creditors—mostly the wealthy and institutional investors who hold those paper assets. And since they’ve held the reins for so long, that choice is politically unpalatable.

2. Inflate our way out

Another route is to shrink the real burden of debt through inflation. It’s a tempting shortcut: pay back today’s obligations with tomorrow’s cheaper dollars. But this approach corrodes trust in institutions and damages the living standards of most Americans. History shows that once inflation escalates, it’s a slippery slope—and the sacrifices don’t fall evenly.

3. Reckon with our excesses

The final path is brutal honesty: cut the waste, the special interests, the programs that are no longer affordable. Realign spending with actual capacity. Live within our means. No more borrowing or playing shell games. Yet, entrenched interests and political realities make this nearly impossible. Change would require an appetite for real structural overhaul—something currently in short supply.

So what’s the cost of doing nothing?

A slow glide toward collapse. We’re sequencing debt like we’re tapping an endless line of credit, telling ourselves it’s business as usual. But every empire built on borrowed time eventually crumbles. It’s only a matter of when.

Why this matters to me

We all feel it: inflation eats away at savings, living standards stagnate, and confidence in our future fades. Our choices aren’t academic—they affect real people, real families. And for me, the transparency of the trade-offs matters more than rhetoric.

In my view:

• I don’t want to see hard-earned wealth erased in a default.
• I don’t want my dollars hollowed out by inflation.
• I do believe we must face up to our commitments—and decide what matters most.

So I’m rooting for honest conversations. For leaders with courage to tackle entitlement growth, re-think long-held assumptions, and build a system that’s funded by what we actually produce—not borrowed against an uncertain tomorrow.

That’s the message I’m watching for.