I’ve been thinking about this question a lot since I first heard a presentation at the end of 2006 by US Comptroller, David Walker, who clearly stated that we are living beyond our means and that severe consequences will follow—the sooner our leaders address this issue the better, in other words.

This week, David was on the Glenn Beck show to talk about our nation’s fiscal insolvency. Here is the clip on YouTube:

I am a big proponent of sound fiscal policies and living within our means. But as I considered the huge discrepency between what we have and what we owe, I started to wonder, “Why are we still here?” In other words, if we are insolvent, why can we still borrow and survive, even thrive?

It seems to have to do with force of arms. Because of our military strength, even though we are bankrupt as a nation, we still have the strength to decline repayment if we choose, or to protect our allies, and destroy our enemies. If a creditor comes to us and asks for their payment, we can say “No”.

But can that last? I don’t think so. I think there is a time coming soon when the demands of justice will overwhelm the power of armament. Justice is a power that works from the inside and the outside—it does not pick sides. Military strength, on the other hand, can decidedly be partisan—for now, we have more strength than our enemies. But when justice calls, it weakens resolve and leads us to questions ourselves—when the power of justice works from the inside, we may start to wonder what we are fighting to preserve.

Those who believe in entitlement to the world’s resources (e.g. those who refer to Iraq as an “American interest”) will fight to the end for “their slice of the pie”. But little by little, those of us who hear the calls for justice will have to admit—even if it is only in our hearts—that we have spent beyond our means, that foreign demand for repayment is a just demand. If we fail to uphold justice, America will fall from the inside out, hollow and devoid of integrity.

I believe that is why we must elect honest leaders and fiscally conservative politicians to the highest offices of the land.