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Comment by GiorgioG | Hacker News Reader

Interest on the national debt is by far the largest share. Both political parties spend like drunken sailors.

It's way too high, but it's not by far the largest. It's barely higher than national defense and not that much higher than Medicaid/health. And it's only the highest because of the artificial split between income taxes and payroll taxes, where this page only considers income taxes. If you look at all federal spending, Social Security is the largest, then Medicare, then interest comes in at #3.

Drunken sailors don't spent more than they earn, for the most part.

You have clearly never met fresh-out-of-basic or back-from-deployment sailors, then.

They build used car dealerships and strip clubs within walking distance of bases. Sailors blow thousands in an evening at the club, and then drive home in $75k vehicles purchased at predatory interest rates.

Despite significant, potentially life-changing enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses, housing stipends and more - many (or most) enlistees leave the service in debt or near penniless.

You're exaggerating or very out of date. They train people specifically against both those now. The official slides stop just short of "no the stripper does not actually like you" but you'd have a hard time making it that far without having that beat into your skull. The number who don't listen is dwindling. The interest rates those guys are getting on vehicles they don't need are no worse than anyone else off the street's would be these days.

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