*The government can easily increase their operating cash balance simply by incur... | Hacker News

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hugh3 on July 29, 2011 | parent | context | favorite | on: Apple now holding more cash than USA

The government can easily increase their operating cash balance simply by incurring more debt.

Except, and this is the whole reason that we currently have big problems, the Government currently can't legally incur more debt, unless Congress passes an increase to the debt ceiling. So cash-on-hand is currently a serious issue.

jodrellblank on July 30, 2011 [–]

And so trillion dollar changes to a major world economy of 310 million people are made by last minute bickering.

It's boggling.

prodigal_erik on July 30, 2011 | [–]

Yeah, it's a titanic game of chicken between the dominant parties. As The Economist put it, "biggest unforced error in history still on schedule".

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/07/democrac...

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