During Wednesday's debate, Mitt Romney said several times that he opposed "borrowing from China" to fund U.S. government programs.

It's an effective meme for Republican pols, appealing to Birchers and other far-right conspiracists, former and current manufacturing workers and their families, and many other voters who would prefer to buy consumer products made in the USA rather than in Red China, if they could find them.

But it is essentially a lie.

Romney only mentioned two programs specifically -- the Affordable Care Act and PBS -- but said generally that all programs have to meet the Romney test -- "Is the program so critical that it's worth borrowing money from China to pay for it?"

U.S. Treasury bonds are extraordinarily safe investments, bought by institutions and individuals for that safety, mostly right here in the USA.

Like the No. 1 holder -- the Social Security Trust Fund that workers have been higher taxes into for almost 30 years, to buy bonds that will help ensure Social Security benefits well into the 2030s.

More, below.