“The youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity.”

These words uttered from former England Prime Minster Benjamin Disraeli, strike at a simple truth.

The recent economic crisis transpiring not just here in the states but across the world is placing the youth in an awkward and adhesive position.

The generations of tomorrow are slowly becoming the scapegoat for the elites of today.  Though we are in college and at the fringe of what is considered youth, it is our future that is being destroyed as well.

The stimulus package and other issues currently enacted by our national government have conjured up a debt of nearly $11 trillion, according to the Treasury.  This enormous number (which many math majors have to think twice about the zeros) is a mountain of debt seemingly unfathomable.

“Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have on things we do not need?”

This question asked by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is echoed through the minds of many.

A better question is whether the Democrats are enacting what they preach?

The reason I put the Democrats on the spot is their present control over the government.

In the Democratic Party Platform (which is basically the outline of what their party wants to do for the nation), they state, “We believe that each succeeding generation should have the opportunity, through hard work, service and sacrifice, to enjoy a brighter future than the last.”

How hard must we, the youth, sacrifice for these mistakes currently being made?

I understand that mistakes have been made on both sides of the aisle.  Republicans are just as much to blame for this mess as Democrats.

It is time for our national government to be responsible for the spending.

Both parties have to figure out a way to limit the spending in a responsible fashion and help the future of this nation sustain solid footing before taking the reins.

Every elected member of our government should have descriptive explanations of how they believe we will find this solid ground.

Tough questions need to be proposed to these lawmakers.

When is the spending going to stop?  When will this huge debt that America is racking up peak?  Finally, how long will it take before our generation will have to stop paying for the mistakes of our fathers?

These are all questions that the generation of “now” needs to confront.

Until they’re confronted, which will be years from now, let us think about ourselves, and enjoy the college experience before we officially start paying for these mistakes in the coming years.