I like looking at the actual debt, because most of the other numbers are too easy to manipulate. When the debt is going up, the government is spending more than it's bringing in. They can try and justify it but I wouldn't have a huge debt and keep spending more than I'm earning, I just don't see how that's a good idea. Perhaps it wont be a problem if the economy grows a lot but it seems like a huge gamble and guess who pays if it goes wrong?