"It's a maths problem"

http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/i-apologize-for-what-youre-about-to-read-9397/

Simon Black summarises it well (above link)

It took just 286 days to accumulate the most recent trillion (from $15 trillion to $16 trillion).
Last month alone, the first full month of Fiscal Year 2013, the US government accumulated nearly $200 billion in new debt– 20% of the way to a fresh trillion in just 31 days.


The big issue about to hit is the "fiscal cliff" - that is the gap between what the government brings in and spends. Certain tax breaks are due to expire meaning greater taxes will come from the taxpayer. Taxing will not lead to growth - growth is the only option the US has to get over the debt binge and prevent the banks from further writedowns.

The printing press must continue...