The Debt Ceiling According to Dr. Seuss

I’m Uncle Sam
I’m Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is who I am

That Uncle Sam! That Uncle Sam! I do not like that Uncle Sam!

Do you like your debt with ham?

I do not like it, Uncle Sam. I do not like my debt with ham.

Would you like it here or there?

I would not like it here or there. I would not like debt anywhere. I do not like my debt with ham. I do not like it Uncle Sam.

Would you like to raise the ceiling? Or prefer to keep them reeling?

I would not like to raise the ceiling – “that means no end” is what I’m feeling.
But leave them reeling? That’s not fair. I would not like it anywhere.
I do not like my debt with ham. I do not like it, Uncle Sam.

Should we take it from the poor or should we take it from the war?

Oh do not do not from the poor. You should not could not from the war.

Perhaps we’ll tax the upper class, or charge a little more for gas?

But the rich create the jobs, even though they’re mostly snobs.
No matter what, they’ll pay less tax.
Their lawyers rule – now that’s the facts.
Not from the war, not from the poor.
I would not like it here or there. I would not like debt anywhere.

Would you? Could you? In your car? Take it, take it, here they are!

The debt’s already bought my car. You should have seen that from afar.

You may like debt! You will see! You may like it in a tree!

I would not, could not, in a tree. Not in my car! You let me be
You can not cut it from the poor.
You will not cut it from the war.
You will not raise that silly ceiling,
You do not want to leave them reeling.
I do not like my debt with ham.
I do not like it Uncle Sam

How about we print more money?
Now wouldn’t all of that be funny?

Now Uncle Sam don’t print more money! That does not seem remotely funny!

Perhaps we’ll shout and sell more bonds? Or pay our states to build more ponds? Then all the money comes right back, delayed, disguised as income tax.

You could not, should not sell more bonds. It makes no sense to build more ponds
Not in the dark. Not more money.
Not in my car. You let me be.
I do not like my debt with ham.
I do not like it Uncle Sam.

You do not like it, so you say.
Try it! Try it! And you may.
Try it and you may, I say.

Uncle Sam! If you’ll let me be, I will try debt. You will see……

Say! I really like this Uncle Sam!
I like that debt has built this land!
So I will take it in my car, and I will let you print more money.
And I will let you sell more bonds, and all of it will seem quite funny.
We’ll raise the debt and help the poor.
We’ll raise the debt and make more war.
I’ll gladly pay much more for gas.
I’ll gladly tax the upper class.
Oh thank you, thank you, Uncle Sam!
I really like this thing called debt.
I’ll learn to love it – don’t you fret.

(Disclaimer – I do not know enough about this issue to have any sort of real stance on it, thus the Dr. Seuss approach. Many of the things I write on this blog have a point. Please do not mistake this for one of those posts).

20 Replies to “The Debt Ceiling According to Dr. Seuss”

  1. No, it sounds like you understand it all pretty well here. We agree debt is bad and that seems to be about where the agreement ends.

    Fantastic post!

  2. Love it, especially the disclaimer!

    I also don’t know enough about the whole thing to take a stance on it … so I’m putting my head in the sand and let others deal with it.

  3. You’ve certainly hit on the major issues at play in the debt crisis. It’s not quite as simple as I probably think, but it sure seems like we take much better care of our weapons than people who are old, sick, or mentally ill.

    The elephant in the room is campaign finance reform. That’s why neither side is able to make any courageous decisions and the rich rule.

  4. You can write, yes you can
    You can write better than Uncle Sam
    You should write the budget bill
    I would vote for you on the Hill
    Maybe then there would be some common sense
    Some way to help us keep our cents

  5. Obummer…I do fear, I think we are about to take it in the……..(R)…….ear. I think my hope has changed

    1. Your work is brilliant! You have a wonderfull website keep writing. My previous comment my be out of place feel free to delete it.

  6. Love it! {I didn’t know if I should repeat the word “brilliant”.} I don’t understand a bit of it either, so don’t feel alone. Now Dr. Seuss… yeah! LOL! =)

  7. Awesome post!!! I’d like to use this as a guest post on my site “Celebrating Financial Freedom”, a christian personal finance website. Would you be willing?

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