Inflationists will no doubt quickly point out that total debt is still growing. However, government bailouts, health care schemes, lending money to corporations to keep them alive, are low-velocity debt that subtract rather than add to real economic growth.

Moreover, Domestic debt declined in the second quarter, falling 0.3 percent to $50.8 trillion.

The article states “Until this recession, the idea that American individuals would ever cut their overall debt levels seemed as likely as an August snowfall in Miami.”

Yes, that was exactly the prevailing view. However, those who saw the buildup of consumer and corporate debt as unsustainable correctly reasoned that private spending would sink, unemployment would rise, bank lending would contract, and treasury yields would plunge.