John Tate: Our nation has been in default for a long time - Campaign for Liberty

John Tate: Our nation has been in default for a long time - Campaign for Liberty: "By its very nature, raising the debt ceiling means acknowledging our inability to make good on the checks we’ve written.  The only way to pay Peter is to hope Paul does us another solid."

"If the ceiling is not raised by October 17, and the federal government loses its borrowing authority, Lew noted, “we will be left to meet our country’s commitments with only the cash on hand and any incoming revenues.”"

Education Week | Cato Institute

Education Week | Cato Institute: "The most useful figures for comparing school districts of varying sizes are the annual per-pupil expenditures (PPE). However, half of all state education departments report PPE figures that leave out major cost items such as buildings, interest on debt, and pensions, thereby significantly understating what is actually spent."

"A recent survey by Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance found that the public’s average estimate of the annual cost per student in public schools nationwide was only $6,680. The true cost is more than double that estimate, at nearly $14,000 per student annually"