Addressing the Long-Run Deficit

Addressing the Long-Run Deficit PDF Author: Donald J Marples
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781099801877
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 38

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Book Description
The growth of the national debt, which is considered unsustainable under current policies, continues to be one of the central issues of domestic federal policymaking. Addressing a federal budget deficit that is unsustainable over the long run involves choices. Fundamentally, the issues require deciding what government goods, services, and transfers are worth paying taxes for. Most people would agree that the country benefits from a wide range of government services-air traffic controllers, border security, courts and corrections, and so forth-provided by the federal government. Yet federal government provision of goods and services comprises only a modest portion of the federal budget. Transfers, including interest payments, accounted for around 75% of the federal budget. Central findings of this analysis include the following: A comparatively small share of federal spending is for the direct provision of domestic government goods and services. Transfers and payments to persons and to state and local governments constitute most of federal spending, about 75% of all federal spending. Defense spending, accounting for about 15% of federal spending, has declined as a share of output over the past 35 years, but it also tends to vary depending, in part, on the presence and magnitude of international conflicts. The problem with the debt lies not in the past but in the future, as growth in spending for health and Social Security is projected to continue faster than the economy as a whole. The increase in deficits and debt, in turn, leads to a significant increase in interest payments. Because much of the pressure on future spending arises from imbalances in Social Security and Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) trust funds, keeping these funds and their sources of financing intact is a concern that could constrain choices. Preserving entitlements would likely require significant increases in taxes, such as raising rates, reducing tax expenditures, increasing other taxes, or introducing new revenue sources. Reductions in discretionary spending are insufficient to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, so limiting taxes as a percentage of output or constraining the overall size of the government to current levels would likely require significant cuts in mandatory spending, including entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Because the federal government provides about one-fifth of the revenue for state and local governments, cutbacks in transfers to these governments may, in part, shift the burden of providing services from the national to subnational governments rather than altering the overall size of government services.

Addressing the Long-Run Deficit

Addressing the Long-Run Deficit PDF Author: Donald J Marples
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781099801877
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 38

Get Book Here

Book Description
The growth of the national debt, which is considered unsustainable under current policies, continues to be one of the central issues of domestic federal policymaking. Addressing a federal budget deficit that is unsustainable over the long run involves choices. Fundamentally, the issues require deciding what government goods, services, and transfers are worth paying taxes for. Most people would agree that the country benefits from a wide range of government services-air traffic controllers, border security, courts and corrections, and so forth-provided by the federal government. Yet federal government provision of goods and services comprises only a modest portion of the federal budget. Transfers, including interest payments, accounted for around 75% of the federal budget. Central findings of this analysis include the following: A comparatively small share of federal spending is for the direct provision of domestic government goods and services. Transfers and payments to persons and to state and local governments constitute most of federal spending, about 75% of all federal spending. Defense spending, accounting for about 15% of federal spending, has declined as a share of output over the past 35 years, but it also tends to vary depending, in part, on the presence and magnitude of international conflicts. The problem with the debt lies not in the past but in the future, as growth in spending for health and Social Security is projected to continue faster than the economy as a whole. The increase in deficits and debt, in turn, leads to a significant increase in interest payments. Because much of the pressure on future spending arises from imbalances in Social Security and Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) trust funds, keeping these funds and their sources of financing intact is a concern that could constrain choices. Preserving entitlements would likely require significant increases in taxes, such as raising rates, reducing tax expenditures, increasing other taxes, or introducing new revenue sources. Reductions in discretionary spending are insufficient to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, so limiting taxes as a percentage of output or constraining the overall size of the government to current levels would likely require significant cuts in mandatory spending, including entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Because the federal government provides about one-fifth of the revenue for state and local governments, cutbacks in transfers to these governments may, in part, shift the burden of providing services from the national to subnational governments rather than altering the overall size of government services.

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit PDF Author: Jane G. Gravelle
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781481907835
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
A small share of federal spending is for direct provision of domestic government services, which many people may think of when considering federal spending. Since this spending is normally about 10% of total federal spending and about 2% of GDP and deficits excluding interest are projected to be as much as 7.7% of GDP by 2037, cutting this type of spending can make only a limited contribution. Transfers and payments to persons and state and local governments constitute most of federal spending, about 70%. Defense spending, currently accounting for about 20% of spending, has declined over the past 35 years, but also tends to vary depending, in part, on the presence and magnitude of international conflicts. Until the recent recession, most types of nondefense spending have been constant or declining as a percentage of output, but spending for the elderly and health care has been rising. Although some increase in the debt can be attributed to the Bush tax cuts and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with growth in spending on the elderly and health care, the current debt level is not the result of prolonged and significant past deficits. Debt grew during the recession and its aftermath. Federal debt held by the public had actually declined from almost 50% of GDP in 1993 to 33% in 2001; it rose slightly to 36% by 2007. During the three recession/recovery years (2008 through 2010), it rose to 62%, and is projected to continue to grow somewhat, before stabilizing for a while. The problem with the debt is due to growth in spending for health care and Social Security if current policies continue. In addition, much of the pressure on future spending arises from imbalances in Social Security and Medicare A (Hospital Insurance) trust funds; thus, keeping these funds and their financing sources intact is an objective that could constrain choices. Because contributions from discretionary spending appear inadequate to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, limiting taxes as a percentage of output or constraining the overall size of the government to current levels would likely require significant cuts in mandatory spending, which includes entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Preserving entitlements would eventually require increases in taxes; by one projection the difference between spending on Social Security plus health and taxes leaves less than 2% of GDP for all discretionary and other mandatory spending. Options include allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire, reducing tax expenditures, increasing other taxes, or introducing new revenue sources. Tax expenditures may be difficult to eliminate, but if not used to lower rates they may be a source of additional revenue. Addressing the eventual Social Security trust fund shortfall largely with tax increases would smooth burdens of accommodating longer lives across both working and retirement years. This argument might also apply, in part, to Medicare and Medicaid. Because the federal government provides about a fifth of the revenue for state and local governments, cutbacks in transfers to these governments may, in part, shift the burden of providing services from the national to subnational governments, rather than altering the overall size of government services.

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit PDF Author: Congressional Research Service
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781512273571
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
A small share of federal spending is for direct provision of domestic government services, which many people may think of when considering federal spending. Because this spending is normally about 10% of total federal spending and about 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) and deficits are projected to be 2.8% of GDP and rising in the future, cutting this type of spending can make only a limited contribution to reducing the deficit. (Note that direct provision of domestic services by the federal government is smaller than the total of nondefense discretionary spending, about 17% of spending, because it excludes transfers. Discretionary spending is spending that requires appropriations.) Transfers and payments to persons and state and local governments constitute most of federal spending, about 70%. Defense spending, currently accounting for about 20% of spending, has declined over the past 35 years but tends to vary depending, in part, on the presence and magnitude of international conflicts.

Crs Report for Congress

Crs Report for Congress PDF Author: Congressional Research Service: The Libr
Publisher: BiblioGov
ISBN: 9781295269990
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
A small share of federal spending is for direct provision of domestic government services, which many people may think of when considering federal spending. Since this spending is normally about 10% of total federal spending and about 2% of GDP and deficits excluding interest are projected to be as much as 7.7% of GDP by 2037, cutting this type of spending can make only a limited contribution. Transfers and payments to persons and state and local governments constitute most of federal spending, about 70%. Defense spending, currently accounting for about 20% of spending, has declined over the past 35 years, but also tends to vary depending, in part, on the presence and magnitude of international conflicts. Until the recent recession, most types of nondefense spending have been constant or declining as a percentage of output, but spending for the elderly and health care has been rising. Although some increase in the debt can be attributed to the Bush tax cuts and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with growth in spending on the elderly and health care, the current debt level is not the result of prolonged and significant past deficits. Debt grew during the recession and its aftermath. Federal debt held by the public had actually declined from almost 50% of GDP in 1993 to 33% in 2001; it rose slightly to 36% by 2007. During the three recession/recovery years (2008 through 2010), it rose to 62%, and is projected to continue to grow somewhat, before stabilizing for a while. The problem with the debt is due to growth in spending for health care and Social Security if current policies continue. In addition, much of the pressure on future spending arises from imbalances in Social Security and Medicare A (Hospital Insurance) trust funds; thus, keeping these funds and their financing sources intact is an objective that could constrain choices.

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit

Addressing the Long-Run Budget Deficit PDF Author: Jane G. Gravelle
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781437989731
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 38

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Book Description


Budget options

Budget options PDF Author: United States. Congressional Budget Office
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Budget
Languages : en
Pages : 380

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Book Description


Expansionary Austerity New International Evidence

Expansionary Austerity New International Evidence PDF Author: Mr.Daniel Leigh
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1455294691
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 41

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Book Description
This paper investigates the short-term effects of fiscal consolidation on economic activity in OECD economies. We examine the historical record, including Budget Speeches and IMFdocuments, to identify changes in fiscal policy motivated by a desire to reduce the budget deficit and not by responding to prospective economic conditions. Using this new dataset, our estimates suggest fiscal consolidation has contractionary effects on private domestic demand and GDP. By contrast, estimates based on conventional measures of the fiscal policy stance used in the literature support the expansionary fiscal contractions hypothesis but appear to be biased toward overstating expansionary effects.

Reducing the Federal Deficit

Reducing the Federal Deficit PDF Author: Albert T. Wilburn
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers
ISBN: 9781631172052
Category : Budget deficits
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Congress faces an array of policy choices as it confronts the dramatic increase in the federal government's debt over the past several years and the prospect of large annual budget deficits and further increases in that debt that are projected to occur in coming decades under current law. To help inform lawmakers about the budgetary implications of various approaches to changing federal policies, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) periodically issues a compendium of policy options that would affect the federal budget as well as separate reports that include policy options in particular areas. This book presents options that would decrease federal spending or increase federal revenues over the next decade, and addresses the long-run budget deficit.

The Deficit Myth

The Deficit Myth PDF Author: Stephanie Kelton
Publisher: PublicAffairs
ISBN: 1541736206
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
A New York Times Bestseller The leading thinker and most visible public advocate of modern monetary theory -- the freshest and most important idea about economics in decades -- delivers a radically different, bold, new understanding for how to build a just and prosperous society. Stephanie Kelton's brilliant exploration of modern monetary theory (MMT) dramatically changes our understanding of how we can best deal with crucial issues ranging from poverty and inequality to creating jobs, expanding health care coverage, climate change, and building resilient infrastructure. Any ambitious proposal, however, inevitably runs into the buzz saw of how to find the money to pay for it, rooted in myths about deficits that are hobbling us as a country. Kelton busts through the myths that prevent us from taking action: that the federal government should budget like a household, that deficits will harm the next generation, crowd out private investment, and undermine long-term growth, and that entitlements are propelling us toward a grave fiscal crisis. MMT, as Kelton shows, shifts the terrain from narrow budgetary questions to one of broader economic and social benefits. With its important new ways of understanding money, taxes, and the critical role of deficit spending, MMT redefines how to responsibly use our resources so that we can maximize our potential as a society. MMT gives us the power to imagine a new politics and a new economy and move from a narrative of scarcity to one of opportunity.

Fiscal Policy and Long-Term Growth

Fiscal Policy and Long-Term Growth PDF Author: International Monetary Fund
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1498344658
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
This paper explores how fiscal policy can affect medium- to long-term growth. It identifies the main channels through which fiscal policy can influence growth and distills practical lessons for policymakers. The particular mix of policy measures, however, will depend on country-specific conditions, capacities, and preferences. The paper draws on the Fund’s extensive technical assistance on fiscal reforms as well as several analytical studies, including a novel approach for country studies, a statistical analysis of growth accelerations following fiscal reforms, and simulations of an endogenous growth model.