Federal Debt

This article is very telling:

Like many cash-strapped Americans who have maxed-out credit cards, the federal government has hit its limit for borrowing funds to keep operating. If the limit isn't raised, the government likely will run out of borrowing authority within days, risking a shutdown.

Debt is part of the consumer culture it seems. So it is time to get out of the consumer culture to get out of debt. Then you can dabble here and there within your means!

Also consider that

Few lawmakers, though, wish to be on record as authorizing more debt -- the House goes so far as to hike the limit automatically. And Senate Democrats are telling their Republican counterparts not to expect any help from them, particularly in an election year.

Read the article, its important in understanding the debt culture.