Who Owns America? Hint: It's Not China

[megimoo]

Many people — politicians and pundits alike — prattle on that China and, to a lesser extent Japan, own most of America's $14.3 trillion in government debt....
.....But there's one little problem with that conventional wisdom: it's just not true. ......

While the Chinese, Japanese and plenty of other foreigners own substantial amounts, it's really Americans who hold most of America's debt.

Here's a quick and fascinating breakdown by total amount held and percentage of total U.S. debt, according to Business Insider:

Hong Kong: $121.9 billion (0.9 percent)
Caribbean banking centers: $148.3 (1 percent)
Taiwan: $153.4 billion (1.1 percent)
Brazil: $211.4 billion (1.5 percent)
Oil exporting countries: $229.8 billion (1.6 percent)
Mutual funds: $300.5 billion (2 percent)
Commercial banks: $301.8 billion (2.1 percent)
State, local and federal retirement funds: $320.9 billion (2.2 percent)
Money market mutual funds: $337.7 billion (2.4 percent)
United Kingdom: $346.5 billion (2.4 percent)
Private pension funds: $504.7 billion (3.5 percent)
State and local governments: $506.1 billion (3.5 percent)
Japan: $912.4 billion (6.4 percent)
U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent)
China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent)
The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent)
Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)

So America owes foreigners about $4.5 trillion in debt. But America owes America $9.8 trillion.

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn....its-not-china/

[Articulate_Ape]

Many people — politicians and pundits alike — prattle on that China and, to a lesser extent Japan, own most of America's $14.3 trillion in government debt....
.....But there's one little problem with that conventional wisdom: it's just not true. ......

While the Chinese, Japanese and plenty of other foreigners own substantial amounts, it's really Americans who hold most of America's debt.

Here's a quick and fascinating breakdown by total amount held and percentage of total U.S. debt, according to Business Insider:

Hong Kong: $121.9 billion (0.9 percent)
Caribbean banking centers: $148.3 (1 percent)
Taiwan: $153.4 billion (1.1 percent)
Brazil: $211.4 billion (1.5 percent)
Oil exporting countries: $229.8 billion (1.6 percent)
Mutual funds: $300.5 billion (2 percent)
Commercial banks: $301.8 billion (2.1 percent)
State, local and federal retirement funds: $320.9 billion (2.2 percent)
Money market mutual funds: $337.7 billion (2.4 percent)
United Kingdom: $346.5 billion (2.4 percent)
Private pension funds: $504.7 billion (3.5 percent)
State and local governments: $506.1 billion (3.5 percent)
Japan: $912.4 billion (6.4 percent)
U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent)
China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent)
The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent)
Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)

So America owes foreigners about $4.5 trillion in debt. But America owes America $9.8 trillion.

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn....its-not-china/

Is this news to anyone?

[malloc]

While this is all true, who's going to be quicker to collect what they are due? Americans, who have borrowed through inflation, or the foreign debt holders, who have borrowed wealth, and then had it inflated away?

Through the particulars of "how" they are going to collect is the million dollar (or is it billion now?) question.

[Nubs]

While this is all true, who's going to be quicker to collect what they are due? Americans, who have borrowed through inflation, or the foreign debt holders, who have borrowed wealth, and then had it inflated away?

Through the particulars of "how" they are going to collect is the million dollar (or is it billion now?) question.

Confiscate pension and 401k, give a "stipend" back in return, then inflate.

[malloc]

Confiscate pension and 401k, give a "stipend" back in return, then inflate.

Sounds about like Pelosi 101 :eek: It's scary, and outright insulting, that people like "the hateful mummy" have so much control over what people like you and me have spent our life's accumulating. This kind of threat to private 401(k)'s should be something that's the butt end of a bad joke that everyone laughs off with mirth. With the Ultra-Left in charge of the Democratic party, this kind of thinking is becoming closer to legislative reality, or worse, the result of an end run around Congress using regulatory authority, leaving the Pelosi's and Obama's of the world sitting smug while it battles through the courts.