Government debt increases the money supply

Government debt causes inflation, so there is no particular reason to prefer that the Government borrow, rather than print the money directly. Printing money causes inflation just like Government debt does. With debt, the Government must pay the money back, but even here they can print the money to make the debt payable. The Government can also continue to borrow more to pay down the debt, rather than uses tax receipts to pay the debt.

Debt is damaging to the economy to the same extent and for the same reasons as printing money.