RFK Jr. Pays Lip Service to the Debt While Pushing Policies That Would Increase It
It's good to hear a candidate actually talk about our spending problem. But his campaign promises would exacerbate it.
Budget Deficit
'The Problem Is Spending': Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver's Vision for the Future
The candidate supports gun rights, wants to privatize government programs, and would radically reduce the number of federal employees.
Republicans Don't Even Pretend To Want To Cut Government Anymore
This week left no doubt that the GOP's current leadership wants the government to do more, spend more, and meddle more.
Here's How To Pay for Trump's Tax Cuts
There seems to be general bipartisan agreement on keeping a majority of the cuts, which are set to expire. They can be financed by cleaning out the tax code of unfair breaks.
IRS Crackdown Nets Enough Revenue To Fund the Government for 90 Minutes
The Biden administration's $60 billion expansion of the IRS has netted $1 billion in new revenue so far.
The National Debt Is Crossing an Ominous Line
The U.S. has successfully navigated past debt challenges, notably in the 1990s. Policymakers can fix this if they find the will to do so.
Biden, Trump, and RFK Jr. Are All Anti-Freedom
Those three presidential candidates are making promises that would have bewildered and horrified the Founding Fathers.
Numb to the Numbers
The national debt has become an alarm bell ringing in the distance that people are pretending not to hear, especially in the city that caused the problem.
America Is in a Debt Crisis. Will Trump or Biden Address It at the Debate?
The candidate who grasps the gravity of this situation and proposes concrete steps to address it will demonstrate the leadership our nation now desperately needs. The stakes couldn't be higher.
Eating Doritos While Drowning in Debt
Plus: A listener asks if there are any libertarian solutions to rising obesity rates.
Federal Budget Deficit Forecast Jumps $400 Billion, Fueled by Student Debt Forgiveness
The Congressional Budget Office reports the 2024 budget deficit will near $2 trillion.
The National Debt Is Now So High That Every American Essentially Owes $100,000
We could grow our way out of our debt burden if politicians would limit spending increases to just below America's average yearly economic growth. But they won't even do that.
The National Debt Is Making Us Poorer
The average American will lose between $5,000 and $14,000 annually by 2054 due to the burden of the growing national debt.
Congress' Budget Process Is Broken. Here's One Idea for Fixing It.
Lawmakers should be freed from "the dead hand of some guy from 1974," says former Congressional Budget Office director.
Don't Give Biden a Pass on Inflation. Don't Give Trump a Pass on COVID.
Will the real president of the United States during the years 2020 through 2022 please stand up?
Say No to This: America's Fiscal Norms Are in Decline
Despite their informal nature, those norms have historically constrained U.S. fiscal policy. But they're eroding.
Milei To Slash 70,000 Government Jobs To Reform Argentina's Economy
The cuts are part of the president's broader strategy to achieve fiscal balance at any cost.
The National Debt Is a National Security Issue
The growing debt will "slow economic growth, drive up interest payments," and "heighten the risk of a fiscal crisis," the CBO warns.
The White House Claims Borrowing $16 Trillion Over the Next Decade Is Fiscally Responsible
If you can't even get close to balancing the budget when unemployment is low, tax revenues are near record highs, and the economy is booming, when can you do it?
Republicans Use Fuzzy Math To Claim Large FBI, ATF Cuts in Budget Bill
The total appropriations package would cut $200 billion over 10 years, as the national debt expands by $20 trillion.
Biden's Cognitive Shrinkflation
Plus: A listener asks if the state of Oregon’s policy on drug decriminalization should be viewed as a success.
Immigration Could Reduce the Deficit by at Least $1 Trillion Over the Next Ten Years
But the Congressional Budget Office projection assumes we will not cut immigration levels, as is likely to happen if Trump returns to power.
Surging Immigration Will Reduce Deficits by $1 Trillion
New Congressional Budget Office data shows how higher-than-expected immigration is a win for the economy and the federal budget.
Federal Government Will Borrow Another $20 Trillion in the Next Decade
Three things to know about the new Congressional Budget Office report on the growing federal deficit.
How Increasing Immigration Can Reduce the Deficit
And why the Congressional Budget Office does a poor job of making those estimates.
Politicians Need To Stop Pretending the National Debt Is Sustainable
The reality raises questions about the kind of future we want to leave for the next generation.
America Has Borrowed $1 Trillion Since the Start of Football Season
The federal government is borrowing money at a mind-spinning rate, and you can't blame it on the COVID-19 pandemic anymore.
Why a Huge Budget Deficit Might Be Good News for California
California is facing a projected deficit of $68 billion, a larger amount than the entire annual budget of the state of Florida.
America Is Taking a High-Speed Train to Bankruptcy
Every dollar wasted on political pork, fraud, and poorly considered infrastructure makes the country’s fiscal situation even worse.
Congress Is Trying To Avoid Taking Responsibility for the Debt Crisis It Created
A fiscal commission might be a good idea, but it's also the ultimate expression of Congress' irresponsibility.
Congress Admits It Has a Debt Problem, but Will It Do Anything?
Servicing debt grows more expensive as the deadline to curb the spending spree gets closer.
After Moody's Warning, Federal Officials Continue To Ignore Fiscal Reality
Moody's calculates that interest payments on the national debt will consume over a quarter of federal tax revenue by 2033, up from just 9 percent last year.
The U.S. Needs a Fiscal Commission Because Congress Won't Do Its Job
In the last 50 years, when the budget process has been in place, Congress has managed only four times to pass a budget on time.
20 Years to Disaster
"The United States has about 20 years for corrective action after which no amount of future tax increases or spending cuts could avoid the government defaulting on its debt."
Is Chaos the Natural State of Congress?
The federal budgeting process was broken long before Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy's recent spat.
Spending Recklessly in Good Times Is a Recipe for Disaster in Bad Times
Years ago, when interest rates were low, calls for the federal government to exercise fiscal restraint were dismissed. That was unwise.
87% of Americans Want Politicians To Do Something Before Social Security Runs Out of Money
Entitlement reform has long been considered a third rail in American politics, but that perspective might be changing.
Biden Wants Another $56 Billion in 'Emergency' Spending
Congress is being asked to borrow more money to fund broadband access and other pet projects. Only about $9 billion would be spent on natural disaster recovery efforts.
New Speaker Mike Johnson's First Good Idea: A Debt Commission
A debt commission won't solve any of the federal government's fiscal problems, but it's the first step towards taking them seriously.
Democrats Say They're Fighting Inequality. But Many of Their Policies Favor the Rich.
Over the last several years, they have worked nonstop to ease the tax burden of their high-income constituents.
Inflation Won't Go Away Until Congress Gets the Deficit Under Control
The Federal Reserve's higher interest rates were supposed to trigger changes to fiscal policy. So far, that hasn't happened.
The Real Scandal in Washington Is the Government's Reckless Spending
Those sounding the loudest alarms about possible shutdowns are largely silent when Congress ignores its own budgetary rules. All that seems to matter is that government is metaphorically funded.
The Debt Crisis Is Getting Real
Rising bond yields mean the national debt is going to be a lot more expensive in the next few years, and we just keep adding to it.
Welfare Cuts Are Inevitable Because Congress Won't Touch Social Security
Until Congress is willing to acknowledge that it makes no sense to send monthly checks to wealthy seniors, everything else will be on the chopping block.
'Bidenomics' Is Failing Everyday Americans
The big spending has fueled higher inflation, resulted in larger-than-projected deficits, and contributed to a record level of debt.
How the Federal Budget Deficit Doubled in a Single Year
It's not the first time that has happened, but there are key differences about what happened this year.
Congress Is Still Using 'Emergency Spending' on Non-Emergencies
Since Congress won't cut spending, an independent commission may be the only way to rein in the debt.
