William Helms: “there's an impression that simply will not go away--that the $4.8-plus-trillion Federal debt is a grotesque parallel to…”

“there's an impression that simply will not go away--that the $4.8-plus-trillion Federal debt is a grotesque parallel to the energizer bunny we see, and see, and see on television. The Federal debt keeps going and going and going--up, of course!-- always to the misery of the American taxpayers. So many politicians talk a good game--when, that is, they go home to take--and talk is the operative word--talk about bringing Federal deficits and the Federal debt under control. But, oddly enough, so many of these same politicians regularly voted for one bloated spending bill after another during the 103d Congress. Come to think about it, this may have been a primary factor in the new configuration of U.S. Senators as a result of last November's elections. In any event, Mr. President, as of yesterday, Friday, May 1, at the close of business, the total Federal debt stood--down to the penny--at exactly $4,860,333,100,308.86 or $18,449,91 per person. Res ipsa loquitur.”