Will Debt Sink the American Empire? After growing for decades, this year the U.S. debt will roughly match its GDP. Throughout history, nations that blithely piled up their obligations have eventually met unhappy ends.By Gerald F. SeibJune 21, 2024 12:02 pm ET America is cruising into an uncharted sea of federal debt, with a public seemingly untroubled by the stark numbers and a government seemin..