Quoting from this site:
The Treasury Department has started drawing from the civil service pension fund to avoid hitting the $8.2 trillion national debt limit. The move to tap the pension fund follows last month’s decision to suspend investments in a retirement savings plan held by government employees.
In a letter to Congress this week, Treasury Secretary John W. Snow said he would rely on the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to avoid bumping up against the statutory debt limit. He said the Treasury is suspending investments and will redeem a portion of the money credited to the fund.
Yeah, I get that the government can do things we can’t. Cops can speed, Bush gets to send the army after personal enemies, and Congressmen get paid to spend Christmas in Europe. But…well, geez! Borrowing money to keep from hitting the debt limit? It’s still borrowed, it’s still debt, and look at who they’re raiding!
Seems like only yesterday there was a surplus, not a deficit…