Out of the many issues facing the United States, it is easy to be disillusioned with the state of our national affairs. In spite of this general disillusionment, one issue stands out most conspicuously: the national debt.

As of right now, the debt stands at a harrowing $37 trillion. In fact, according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, that is equivalent to the economies of China, India, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom combined.

Shocking as it is, it raises the necessary question: What is to be done?

This is where the role of Hawaiʻi becomes crucial — the United States must adopt a balanced budget amendment modeled on Hawaiʻi’s fiscal safeguards.

Before one can tackle the issue of the national debt, it must first be understood why it poses a special threat. As explained by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, high levels of government debt can lead to a decline in economic growth and a diminution of fiscal flexibility.

This stems from the upward pressure put on interest rates — borrowing rates — which is induced by heightened levels of government borrowing. In other words, as spending increases along with the debt, the government is forced to borrow money, which crowds out private investment and drives up interest rates. As a result, the cost of business loans and mortgages increase, thereby hindering economic growth.

Now what does Hawaiʻi have to do with this?

Notwithstanding our state’s financial vulnerability in the event of a fiscal crisis, the Hawaiʻi State Constitution offers some potential solutions to this predicament.

According to Article VII, Section 5 of the state constitution, “General fund expenditures for any fiscal year shall not exceed the state’s current general fund revenues and unencumbered cash balances, except when the governor publicly declares the public health, safety, or welfare is threatened as provided by law.”

What this means, in effect, is that the state must pass a balanced budget every year. If the state were to have a budget deficit, then it must either increase taxes or enact spending reductions.

It must be emphasized, however, that Hawaiʻi’s fiscal management is by no means perfect. Like any other state, Hawaiʻi runs the risk of running a deficit and constantly faces the omnipresent temptation of overspending. What deserves merit though is the fact that there are explicit restrictions on spending in our state constitution that seek to prevent a fiscal crisis from occurring.

This is exactly what’s missing from the federal government — a deliberate system to maintain fiscal discipline, or at least a semblance of it. In other words, a balanced budget requirement.

Unlike Hawaiʻi, the federal budget poses a much more difficult challenge. Its vast size and many complexities make it hard to reform. What’s particularly challenging is that the majority of the budget lies in entitlement programs — Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid — which are virtually untouchable.

It is these very programs, however, that contribute the most to the national debt. Furthermore, in what is indicative of this colossal problem, the interest on the debt surpassed defense spending at $1.1 trillion in fiscal year 2024, according to the Government Accountability Office. In total, for the same fiscal year, the federal budget cost a whopping $6.8 trillion.

One need not be dismayed at such intimidating numbers. By implementing an approach similar to the one found in the Hawaiʻi State Constitution via a balanced budget amendment, the United States may find its way back to fiscal responsibility.

Although such an endeavor is simple in theory, one would be reasonable to characterize the initiative as nothing more than fanciful. That may be the case, but there is simply no alternative. At some point, the federal government will be forced to confront the national debt and find a way to live within its means.

So the question isn’t if the endeavor is feasible; rather, it is whether our elected officials will have the political courage to do what needs to be done.

This is no time for partisan bickering. When taken into account, both the Democratic and Republican parties are responsible for the continuous accumulation of the national debt. Not since President Calvin Coolidge has the debt been reduced. This fact ought to alarm all members of Congress and propel them to take joint action to meaningfully address this tremendous problem.

As President Ronald Reagan once quipped, “Balancing the budget is a little like protecting your virtue. You just have to learn to say no.” If only it were that easy.