National Debt vs GDP

[swordfish]

I was talking with a friend about the national debt. I think that it is way out of hand but he doesn't think so. So we tossed some ideas around and he said the debt didn't matter because it was 1.3% of GDP. I started thinking about it and decided to look into it further. I found several websites including this one

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html

They say that the GDP is around 13 trillion for 2006. The national debt has just reached 9 trillion which is a whooping 69%.

Here is the link for debt and holdings

http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

Now granted the deficit for fiscal year 2007 was 163 billion which is 1.3% of GDP. Anyways it got me thinking so I looked up a few graphs online. Enjoy.

http://media.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2006/mar/debtgraph3_500.jpg

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/history.gif

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/inflation.gif

http://www.marktaw.com/culture_and_media/TheNationalDebtImages/DeficitRealDollars1941-2009.gif

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/BudgetChartBook/images/charts_S/S-1.gif