TUSTIN : Group Is Showing Debt Still Growing

In the time it takes to read this sentence, the national debt will have increased by more than $20,000.

To underscore that relentless pace--about $9,800 per second--the Concord Coalition, a deficit reduction advocacy group, was in town Tuesday with its National Debt Clock, an electronic scoreboard that displays an up-to-the-second tally of the nation’s indebtedness--now more than $4.93 trillion.

The figures stunned passersby--exactly the coalition’s intention.

“It’s staggering. It’s just beyond comprehension that we’re that much in debt,” said Peter Berger, 38.

“Even if [Congress] balances the budget, how long until we are debt free? I won’t be around to see that. But unfortunately, our grandchildren will. And theirs . . . and theirs,” he said.

With a soft, monotonous clicking sound, the scoreboard’s large neon-yellow numbers added $9,800 to the 13-digit number every second. Below that figure was another number that read $79,348--the share of the national debt owed by a family of four.

“That’s the sound of your children’s future ticking away,” said Mike Walsh, the Orange County coordinator for Concord Coalition, which set up the clock at Fashion Island Newport Beach in the morning and Tustin Marketplace in the afternoon.

To reduce the deficit, the coalition advocates reform of all government entitlement programs such as Social Security, government retirement plans and farm subsidies. It also urges the reduction of domestic and defense spending.

“We’re really trying to stop the clock to avoid a generational war. This is our children’s deficit,” he said.

The debt clock, on a tour of 11 Western states, will spend the next few days in Southern California, Walsh said.

Several residents said they were disheartened by what the clock showed.

“It’s impossibly high,” said Tustin resident Craig Enloe, 30, of the massive debt figure.

Noting that his share of the national debt comes to about $20,000, he added, “It’s really sad. I don’t even make $20,000 a year yet.”

Voltaire Mercado, 20, of Tustin whistled and laughed nervously while studying the sign.

“Oh, God. It’s just a shock. I never knew how much it was until I saw that sign. It surprises me to see it [rising] so fast,” he said.

“Nine-thousand dollars a second? Oh man.”