Announcing Peter Zeihan’s Patreon Page + Will the National Debt Kill the US Economy?
By Peter Zeihan
I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone who has been a part of this crazy journey of geopolitical content and news. Whether you’ve read one of my books, attended a speaking event, or listened to me on the Joe Rogan podcast…all of you have helped to make this possible…
In this video, Peter Zeihan discusses two main topics: changes to his newsletter service and his thoughts on the U.S. national debt.
Newsletter Changes:
- Zeihan has been producing a daily video newsletter during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Starting October 1st, he’s partnering with Patreon to offer a subscription service. The subscription will include the daily videos plus additional materials like news digests and community forums.
- A free service will continue but with delayed access to content.
U.S. National Debt:
- Zeihan acknowledges the U.S. national debt exceeding 100% of GDP is a problem, but not an immediate crisis.
- He attributes the debt increase to several factors:
- Expanded social benefits voted in by Baby Boomers
- Increased spending during the Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations
- Lack of fiscal conservatives in Congress
- Zeihan puts the U.S. situation in global context:
- European countries face worse demographic challenges
- China has corporate debt around 300% of GDP
- Japan has been running large deficits since the 1990s and has a debt-to-GDP ratio of about 500%
- He estimates the U.S. has several decades before reaching a situation similar to Japan’s.
- Zeihan suggests potential global economic shifts (like the collapse of the Chinese system or end of the Eurozone) could lead to capital flight to the U.S., potentially buying more time.
Overall, Zeihan presents the U.S. debt situation as a long-term concern rather than an immediate crisis, emphasizing the relative strength of the U.S. economy and its status as a safe haven for global capital.
