Deficits and Debts

Before you start searching your mailbox for the next economic stimulus check, sobering reports today put the budget deficit at $1.2 trillion for the fiscal year.

This, of course, pales in comparison to the national debt, which is expected to increase by $2 trillion this year . That would put the national debt at about $12.7 trillion. The current debt stands at about $10.7 trillion, with 40% of that owned by government accounts. Interestingly, China owned $652.9 billion in treasury securities as of October 2008. That’s a $193.8 billion increase from that same month in 2007. You can see the remainder of the major foreign holders of debt here.

Make your checks payable to the Bureau of the Public Debt.

UPDATE: According to the New York Times today, China currently owns over $1 trillion in treasury securities, but they’re not really interested in more.

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Canada Orders U.S. Army Deserter to Return to the United States

Private First Class Kimberly Rivera had been seeking leave to remain in Canada “on humanitarian and compassionate grounds” to avoid prosecution for deserting her post in the U.S. Army.  Her claim, like the claims of other U.S. soldiers seeking to avoid further duty in the Iraq War in Canada, has been rejected, and, unless that decision is reversed, she is supposed to return to the U.S. by January 27th.

I was a bit startled the first time I heard about U.S. soldiers seeking refugee status in other countries to avoid serving, or continuing their service, in the Iraq War.  There have been a number of such cases in Canada, and at least one in Germany.  (And I should note before continuing that I’m not sure that “humanitarian and compassionate grounds” are quite the same as asylum; still, the remainder of this post focuses on these soldiers’ ability to establish asylum.)

Under U.S. law, the basic definition of a “refugee” is someone who “is outside any country of such person’s nationality . . . and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion,” and Canada’s definition is similar.  Generally speaking, as students in my refugee law seminar learn, volunteer soldiers who desert their posts do not qualify as “refugees” under this definition.

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New Blog Features for January

As we ring in the new year here at the Marquette Law School Faculty Blog, we also welcome several new features for January.  Dan Blinka replaces Matt Mitten as Faculty Blogger of the Month.  Dan teaches Evidence, Constitution and Criminal Investigations, Quantitative Methods, Trial Advocacy, and Legal History.  3L Nathan Petrashek replaces Tom Kamenick as Student Blogger of the Month.  And Mike Morse replaces Daniel Suhr as Alum Blogger of the Month.  Mike is Village Attorney for Menomonee Falls.

Many thanks to Matt, Tom, and Daniel for their thought-provoking posts in December!

The new Question of the Month is “What is your favorite movie or novel about legal practice?”

Best wishes to all for a happy and healthy 2009!

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