Print our way out of the mess?

The bottom line is the U.S. is running a highly leveraged economy, and things could get ugly for American consumers if slowing foreign central bank purchases triggered higher interest rates.

“Higher interest rates are the enemy of leverage,”Kasriel says. “[They could ultimately make it] difficult for the U.S. to service our debt and enjoy a rising standard of living. That is where printing money could become a political viable alternative.”