[WingForward]

If I owned a company, now is exactly when I'd take on debt.

Now, "stuff" (advertising, equipment, factories, employees) is cheap.

Now, borrowing is cheap.

Now is the time for a business to spend.

The US government is more like a business than an individual. Both are interested in generating wealth rather than consuming it.

But in the case of "my friend"...if he were looking to borrow in order to generate wealth, say buy a house for rental income, I would completely support him.