38 • MARTIN H. RUBY
As of June 1, 2005, the total national debt was $7,775, 000,000,000 . Ten years later, June 1, 2015, it was $18,152 ,000,000,000 — more than double. ⁹ Today, it sits above $31,000,000,000,000. Politicians like to talk about slowing the growth of our national debt, but few hope to reverse the trend altogether.
Why Low Interest Rates Matter Alright, I get it. You’re not trying to save for retirement through your checking account. (I mean, you’re not, right?) But here’s why low er interest rates matter to you. In the last section, we looked at the historic volatility the stock market has seen this century. For people not willing to take big risks with their retirement savings, the market isn’t a great choice.
⁹ Treasury Direct. “The Debt to the Penny and Who Holds It.” https://www.treasurydirect.gov/govt/reports/pd/pd_debttothepenny.htm .
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