US Trade Deficit hits All Time High

[SuitedPair]

This is the trade deficit, not the budget deficit. This is the amount of goods we buy from other countries (imports) compared to how much we sell to other countires (exports).

[BradleyT]

Just goes to show that we make high priced crap products domestically.

[Peter666]

I understand that, and usually trading in such a way will lead to a countries overall indebtedness. I am trying to see what would happen on the micro level if America stopped making interest payments on all its accumulated debt. Because we should measure value in actual goods, and not a made up convention (usury) what would America's real debt be?

[Sniper]

Peter,

I think you are confusing the gov'ts budget deficit, with the trade deficit (diff between exports and imports)?

[Peter666]

Ok, I'll eventually make this into a separate topic. I was trying to use the topic of a deficit (be it a trading deficit or budget deficit) to spark a conversation about the true meaning of a deficit and how to deal with it. I have miserably failed, but I will be back.