The U.S. federal government has been habitually spending more money than it receives in taxes, running federal budget deficits every year but 5 since 1969. The federal debt, which is the accumulation of these deficits over time, can pose risks to the U.S. economy. But, in times of economic distress, a rising debt might be needed to buffer the economy. Our posts cover whether debt should be cause for concern; welfare spending and the federal budget; state and local finance; and the impact of COVID on public finance, among others.
April 14, 2024
A discussion with Alejandro Werner on the history of Argentina’s economy, the problems it currently faces, and its prospects for recovery under Javier Milei.
December 17, 2023
Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s discusses why U.S. debt increased significantly before the pandemic, its dramatic rise since then, and its expected further increase.
November 15, 2023
The debt is projected to reach levels beyond historical experience in the next 3 decades. The challenge is significant but manageable as a matter of economics.
June 25, 2023
How much would proposed spending cuts to social safety net programs reduce government spending by? And at what cost to its beneficiaries?
June 12, 2023
Despite the high-stakes debt ceiling negotiations, U.S. debt relative to GDP is projected to keep growing over the next decade. What factors account for this projection and why does it matter?
June 11, 2023
Distinguished economic journalists Binyamin Appelbaum, Scott Horsley, Greg Ip, and Heather Long join EconoFact Chats for a broad-based discussion on the U.S. economy.
May 24, 2023
The debt limit debate has cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and TANF on the table. The scope for savings in government spending is bound by their share of the budget.
May 11, 2023
The consequences of a failure to raise the debt ceiling are serious but difficult to quantify. Why does the U.S. have a debt ceiling, and what does it mean to raise it?
May 7, 2023
A discussion with Bill Gale of Brookings on the U.S. debt limit, how often it has been raised in the past, and policy options to avoid default if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling.