Many people think that, however burdensome heavy taxes are, it is more honest for governments to raise them to pay for their spending than it is to incur debt. But public debt in the US and the UK is far below the level at which it would crowd out private spending today or depress future generations' consumption.
CAMBRIDGE – Most people are more worried by government debt than about taxation. “But it’s trillions” a friend of mine recently expostulated about the United Kingdom’s national debt. He exaggerated a bit: it is £1.7 trillion ($2.2 trillion). But one website features a clock showing the debt growing at a rate of £5,170 per second. Although the tax take is far less, the UK government still collected a hefty £750 billion in taxes in the last fiscal year. The tax base grows by the second, too, but no clock shows that.
CAMBRIDGE – Most people are more worried by government debt than about taxation. “But it’s trillions” a friend of mine recently expostulated about the United Kingdom’s national debt. He exaggerated a bit: it is £1.7 trillion ($2.2 trillion). But one website features a clock showing the debt growing at a rate of £5,170 per second. Although the tax take is far less, the UK government still collected a hefty £750 billion in taxes in the last fiscal year. The tax base grows by the second, too, but no clock shows that.