> Why has it become such a big talking point in the US?
Because one of the two dominant political parties has adopted a strategy for the past several decades of trying to cripple governmental programs by reducing their income or otherwise increasing their outflows (see: USPS), and the national debt is a convenient scapegoat for them to make their point about "see, we're spending too much!"
Because one of the two dominant political parties has adopted a strategy for the past several decades of trying to cripple governmental programs by reducing their income or otherwise increasing their outflows (see: USPS), and the national debt is a convenient scapegoat for them to make their point about "see, we're spending too much!"