in an internationally comparable manner

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Eartha

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Dear all,

How should I understand the underlined?

Thanks in advance.

Eartha

High on that list is sorting out America’s public finances. The budget deficit is huge and public debt, at over 90% of GDP when measured in an internationally comparable manner, is high and rising fast. Apart from Japan, America is the only big rich economy that does not have a plan for getting its public finances under control. The good news is that politicians are at last paying attention: deficit reduction is just about all anybody talks about in Washington, DC, these days. The bad news—and the second reason for gloom about what the politicians are up to—is that neither party is prepared to make the basic compromises that are essential to a deal. Republicans refuse to accept that taxes will have to rise, Democrats that spending on “entitlements” such as health care and pensions must fall. No real progress is likely until after the 2012 presidential election. And the antagonism of today’s deficit debate may even harm the economy, as Republicans push for excessive cuts in next year’s budget.
 
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SoothingDave

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1: If you measure the US GDP using the same rules that are used to measure the GDP of other countries.

2: The fighting between the parties in Washington may be creating uncertainty that is damaging the economy's growth.
 
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