HotAirhttps://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2012/11/27/why-16-trillion-only-hints-at-the-true-u-s-debt/feed/HotAir is the leading conservative blog for breaking news and commentary covering the Biden administration, politics, media, culture, and current elections.en-usTue, 09 Jun 2026 04:15:05 -0400Why $16 trillion only hints at the true U.S. debt<![CDATA[As Washington wrestles with the roughly $600 billion &#8220;fiscal cliff&#8221; and the 2013 budget, the far greater fiscal challenge of the U.S. government&#8217;s unfunded pension and health-care liabilities remains offstage. The truly important figures would appear on the federal balance sheet—if the government prepared an accurate one. &#8230;]]>Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:50:08 -0500<![CDATA[Erika Johnsen]]>https://hotair.com/headlines/2012/11/27/why-16-trillion-only-hints-at-the-true-u-s-debt-n97834