I'm not going to argue this is good, but debt isn't bad either. If you're taking on debt to invest in the future, it's a good idea if the expected returns are greater than the cost + interest, which it often is for the state. That's an easy balance to make.

However, investing in missiles and shit, which are expended, is fucking stupid. You pay to build them, they cause damage (which is negative gain usually), and then they're gone. If you invest in education, healthcare, or infrastructure, it's easy to be positive. It's crazy that's so hard to get done.