I see you're point about America's economy being the most powerful, but isn't that perhaps a bit like a marathon runner who sprints full speed the first mile and says "Whoa! Look at how much I'm ahead of everyone else!".

You may be right, but it seems there is more than just our current situation to consider. There are long-term ramifications of that debt. At some point, we can't just keep borrowing. It might be working for us today, but like the sprinting marathon runner, eventually it will catch up to us.