I don't see why the analogy to debt is necessary when the direct analogy is to capital underinvestment: in fact what we're talking about is or very nearly is just that, capital underinvestment, not simply something analogous to it. And the hypothetical businessy, non-technical types whom the debt analogy is intended to enlighten understand very clearly what deferring capital investment is and what the likely consequences are, at least if they actually know anything much about business.