Anybody still believing that the US (or any other debt-ridden country) can ever repay it's debts and liabilities without going bankrupt? Especially if one adds in another 40'000 US-$ per citizen of public debts?

The lesson of the story is very simple, actually - don't buy votes with the citizens money, or with debts. Yet, this happens in most democracies since the worst thing that can happen to a politician is to get voted out of office, into a very cushy job at a corporation or a 'non-profit' organization that is paying quite well.