Eleven Trillion Dollar Drive
Arraynot found.For most Americans, it is difficult to visualize the number one trillion. I've seen the examples using one hundred dollar bills but even that is vague because I usually don't handle one hundred dollar bills. Here's how I would demonstrate it: an eleven trillion dollar drive across America.
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br>During my journey I travel at a constant rate of 60 mph. I make no stops for gas, food, rest or bathroom breaks. The roads are clear; the weather is perfect. I am driving from state capital to state capital; I want to make sure each state in the lower 48 is represented. Let's roll.
I begin my quest in Augusta to Montpelier, Vermont and then to Concord, New Hampshire. I get clam chowder at a drive-thru in Boston, south to Providence, across to Hartford, up to ALbany, south to Trenton, across to Harrisburg and then Dover. I skip across the Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis, see the sights in DC, south to Richmond, Raleigh, Columbia, Tallahassee and a surprisingly traffic free Atlanta. I head west to Montgomery, then to Jackson, south to Baton Rouge, up to Little Rock, Nashville, Frankfort, Charleston, Columbia, Lansing and I win the Indianapolis 500. I drive west to Springfield, up to Madison, I say hello Garrison Kellior in St. Paul, down to Des Moines and Jefferson City. I mess with Texas in Austin before heading up to Oooooooklahoma City where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Up to Topeka, Lincoln, Pierre, Bismarck, Cheyenne. I catch a Broncos game before pressing the pedal to the metal to make it to Santa Fe, Phoenix, Sacramento, Carson City, Salt Lake City, Helena, Boise and Salem. In Olympia there's a parade in my honor with Bigfoot serving as the grand marshal. All total I've driven: 13,105 miles in 218 hours, about 9 days.
But wait, there's more. I feel so good that I throw it into reverse and head back to Augusta on the same route. My odometer reads: 26,210 miles or 436 hours, about 18 days. Boy, am I tired!
And now I'm going to get crazy. I'm going to lay down one dollar bills on the highway and line them end to end. That comes to $10,560 per mile. 18 days later I have laid $276,777,600 on the highway.
Suppose my car is a time machine. When I drive my car begins going back in time. How many trips would I need to make to equal the amount of money in the national debt? Well, if you use the figure of $11.1 trillion dollars I'd have to make 40,104 round trips. In my time car that would bring me back to 31 AD when I could've heard Jesus say, in person, "For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also."
So how do we fix this financial mess? Beats me. I'm unemployed right now so I'm not the one to solicit money advice. Is there a way out? Probably not. I only know that living beyond your means whether you're a person or a government is not too smart. In an individual, financial ruin invites slavery. In a government, it invites violent revolution. Our leaders in Washington and in the state capitals should keep that in mind. You sow what you reap still applies. Spending sparing might not get you re-elected but then again, it could save your life. Respecting resources, be the natural or monetary, will always bring prosperity for all concerned.
To see more watch the YouTube video "Eleven Trillion Dollar Drive by Jason Goldtrap."
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I begin my quest in Augusta to Montpelier, Vermont and then to Concord, New Hampshire. I get clam chowder at a drive-thru in Boston, south to Providence, across to Hartford, up to ALbany, south to Trenton, across to Harrisburg and then Dover. I skip across the Chesapeake Bay to Annapolis, see the sights in DC, south to Richmond, Raleigh, Columbia, Tallahassee and a surprisingly traffic free Atlanta. I head west to Montgomery, then to Jackson, south to Baton Rouge, up to Little Rock, Nashville, Frankfort, Charleston, Columbia, Lansing and I win the Indianapolis 500. I drive west to Springfield, up to Madison, I say hello Garrison Kellior in St. Paul, down to Des Moines and Jefferson City. I mess with Texas in Austin before heading up to Oooooooklahoma City where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Up to Topeka, Lincoln, Pierre, Bismarck, Cheyenne. I catch a Broncos game before pressing the pedal to the metal to make it to Santa Fe, Phoenix, Sacramento, Carson City, Salt Lake City, Helena, Boise and Salem. In Olympia there's a parade in my honor with Bigfoot serving as the grand marshal. All total I've driven: 13,105 miles in 218 hours, about 9 days.
But wait, there's more. I feel so good that I throw it into reverse and head back to Augusta on the same route. My odometer reads: 26,210 miles or 436 hours, about 18 days. Boy, am I tired!
And now I'm going to get crazy. I'm going to lay down one dollar bills on the highway and line them end to end. That comes to $10,560 per mile. 18 days later I have laid $276,777,600 on the highway.
Suppose my car is a time machine. When I drive my car begins going back in time. How many trips would I need to make to equal the amount of money in the national debt? Well, if you use the figure of $11.1 trillion dollars I'd have to make 40,104 round trips. In my time car that would bring me back to 31 AD when I could've heard Jesus say, in person, "For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also."
So how do we fix this financial mess? Beats me. I'm unemployed right now so I'm not the one to solicit money advice. Is there a way out? Probably not. I only know that living beyond your means whether you're a person or a government is not too smart. In an individual, financial ruin invites slavery. In a government, it invites violent revolution. Our leaders in Washington and in the state capitals should keep that in mind. You sow what you reap still applies. Spending sparing might not get you re-elected but then again, it could save your life. Respecting resources, be the natural or monetary, will always bring prosperity for all concerned.
To see more watch the YouTube video "Eleven Trillion Dollar Drive by Jason Goldtrap."
Jason Goldtrap is the author of the novel "Sarah Conrad of Eagle Creek" which you can read online at JasonGoldtrap.com
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