How The Economic Machine Works by Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio's 30-minute animated breakdown of credit cycles, debt accumulation, and deleveraging — the clearest bridge between everyday voters and macro-minded investors. Part of our U.S. Debt series. economicprinciples.org

The federal budget: Where the money comes from and where it goes

The Brookings Institution walks through where federal revenue comes from and where it goes — Social Security, Medicare, defense, and the fast-growing slice for interest (2023). Part of our U.S. Debt series. brookings.edu

Social Security on pace to be insolvent by 2032, putting benefits at risk of cuts

A June 2026 news report on the Trustees' finding that Social Security's retirement fund runs short in late 2032 — and what an automatic cut of roughly 22% would mean for beneficiaries. Part of our U.S. Debt series. Social Security Trustees Report summary

Here's what could happen if the US defaults on its debt

USA TODAY explains how the debt ceiling works and what a U.S. default could mean for markets, interest rates, and retirement savings (September 2024). Part of our U.S. Debt series. usatoday.com

What does $40 trillion in US debt mean for Americans?

Reuters on what the $40 trillion milestone means for household budgets — from mortgage rates to roughly $117,000 in federal debt per American (August 2026). Part of our U.S. Debt series. reuters.com

National debt nears $40 trillion: How we got here and why it matters

PBS NewsHour's Lisa Desjardins traces how the debt reached $40 trillion and why economists see the milestone as a warning sign, with the Concord Coalition's Carolyn Bourdeaux (August 2026). Part of our U.S. Debt series. pbs.org/newshour

Lyn Alden on How Fiscal Dominance Reshapes Markets (TIP815)

Macro strategist Lyn Alden on why deficits this large can overpower the Fed's rate tools, and what that means for bonds, gold, energy, and the dollar (May 2026). Part of our U.S. Debt series. theinvestorspodcast.com

Deficits & Debts: Crash Course Economics #9

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A clear primer on deficit vs. debt, who holds U.S. debt, and why a nation isn't a household. The concepts hold up; the figures date from 2015, when the debt was about $18 trillion. Part of our U.S. Debt series. @crashcourse

Just the Facts About the US Federal Budget: Steve Ballmer Talks Through the Numbers

USAFacts founder Steve Ballmer walks through revenue, mandatory and discretionary spending, and the deficit, number by number and without partisan spin (August 2024, FY2023 data). Part of our U.S. Debt series. usafacts.org

US National Debt on Brink of Passing $40 Trillion | Balance of Power 08/18/2026

A full Bloomberg episode from the day the debt crossed $40 trillion, including the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's Maya MacGuineas on deficits, interest rates, and bond yields. Part of our U.S. Debt series. bloomberg.com

Treasury Whiplash, US Debt Hits $40T | Bloomberg Money 8/21/2026

How the bond market reacted to the $40 trillion milestone and the Treasury's debt-buyback surprise (August 2026). Part of our U.S. Debt series. bloomberg.com