Sobering Reality

This gets a tip o' the hat to the incomparable Jerry Pournelle, whose site linked to the article.

Despair is a Sin. But ....

One stark and sobering way to frame the crisis is this: if the United States government were to nationalize (in other words, steal) every penny of private wealth accumulated by America’s citizens since the nation’s founding 235 years ago, the government would remain totally bankrupt.

And if that doesn't make you pause, I don't know what will.