17 trillion dollars is too large, by any metric. We've been able to afford it because the interest rates we got were so good, but enough is enough already.
Sorry for the delay in responding. I had to locate an asbestos suit, but I have it on now.
I don't think the USA has a burning deficit problem. It is true that the national debt grew by almost $7T under Obama. If that were to continue, it would be a problem big time. But the yearly deficits are coming down now, mostly because the economy is recovering (albeit at a snail's pace), and so tax revenues are growing again.
The current national debt is equal to about one year's GDP. Compare that to a homeowner with a mortgage equal to one year's salary, but no other debt. No one would call someone like that over-leveraged.
The US government owns assets equal to approximately $100T. Private equity totals another $50T (net of debt). That is $150T in assets versus $17T in liabilities, or a debt/asset ratio of 11%.
So, from either an income or asset point of view, US debt levels are conservative relative to those of many other countries, which is what the article a_ahmed referenced says (although a_ahmed was trying to make the opposite point).
Of course I agree that we are spending too much, and entitlements in particular need adjustment. I think that could happen if all the posturing and rigidity on both sides were abandoned.