Dramatic Debt

The film I.O.U.S.A. premiered in home-town theatres across America in August, but is now available online for viewing, makes no bones about it: America is in financial crisis.

Director Patrick Creadon and Former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker and others make it perfectly clear: If we don’t do something soon, America could find itself shipwrecked and drowning in an ocean of debt.

Creadon and Walker take you on a rollercoaster ride across the country, while explaining America’s fiscal policies and financial debt and how it could impact our personal pocketbooks right here, at home: all in a matter of 1 hour and 27 minutes.

Walker claims, “In the last 40 years we’ve had 35 budget deficits and only five budget surpluses.” Walker explained, “These surpluses are spent every year to help pay other bills in the federal government—without the Social Security surpluses, our real track record on deficits looks a whole lot worse.” Walker added, “By 2017, Social Security will not be helping to reduce our overall deficit, it will be adding to it.”

Frank Ahrens with the Washington Post documents what Warren E. Buffet, C.E.O of Berkshire Hathaway had to say about America’s failing economy; “the nation’s debt now accounts for 66 percent of the gross national product, but is expected to change with baby boomers retiring and eligible for full Social Security benefits to 244 percent by 2040.”

Walker makes a final point that “The federal government has run up $52 trillion in federal liabilities and unfunded promises.”

The Seattle Times says, “The documentary I.O.U.S.A. is an alarming look at the United States financial state.”

Owen Gleiberman with Entertainment Weekly said, “If they handed out an Academy Award for most gripping graphs and charts, this film would take it.”

If you missed this one-day film premiere August 21, you don’t want to miss a second chance to see this remarkable film.

To learn more about this astounding movie, see movie trailers, highlights or to order the movie itself log onto http://www.imdb.com. What you will learn will devastate you.

Irene Warren is an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run jointly by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia.