Budget FY 2012

Research

The Debt Limit Debate Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner \| May 26, 2011 While the United States should not default on its debt, neither should Congress raise the debt ceiling without addressing the problem that created the debt: excessive spending.	Canada's Reversed Fiscal Crisis David R. Henderson, Jerrod Anderson \| May 05, 2011 This paper examines the reforms made by Canada in the mid-1990s to cut their deficit and federal debt and the lessons the US can learn from their experience.
The Debt Ceiling: What is at Stake? Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner \| Apr 28, 2011 This paper takes a detailed look at the facts behind raising the debt ceiling.	Improving the Accuracy of U.S. Government Debt Estimates Margaret Polski \| Mar 02, 2011 This paper analyzes the differences among estimates of the U.S. public debt and argues that modeling innovations are needed to improve public financial policy making and administrative management.
Making Budget Rules Work David M. Primo \| Sep 28, 2010 The United States faces severe fiscal challenges that can no longer be ignored. Entitlement spending, especially Medicare, is a ticking time bomb that must be defused. Increasing deficits and a…	Budget Gimmicks or the Destructive Art of Creative Accounting Veronique de Rugy \| Jun 15, 2010 For every attempt to cap government spending by regulation or statute, lawmakers seem to find new and creative accounting techniques that allow them to continue spending recklessly. In fact, there is…

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Testimony & Comments

Wasteful Spending Does Not Stop at Earmarks and Overpayments

Veronique de Rugy | Feb 17, 2011

Veronique de Rugy testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about wasteful government spending.

Research Summaries & Toolkits

Assessing the President's FY2013 Budget Proposal

| Feb 13, 2012

This policy brief takes a look at the president's FY2013 budget proposal and emphasizes the need for fundamental reform in the areas of spending, taxes, and the budget process.

The Constitutional Budget Rule

| Jul 18, 2011

This research summary addresses what an ideal constitutional budget rule could look like and what it must accomplish.

Expert Commentary

Give Sequestration a Chance Washington Examiner By Veronique de Rugy \| Sep 28, 2012 At the edge of the fiscal cliff, policymakers and pundits are looking for answers to the question about what to do on Jan. 2, 2013. On that day, barring action by Congress, taxes -- such as the personal income, payroll, capital gains and estate taxes -- are scheduled to go up by a significant amount. Federal spending is also set to be cut, through automatic across-the-board reductions (sequestration).	Mercatus Center Economists on the House Republican Budget By David M. Primo, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Veronique de Rugy \| Mar 20, 2012 Mercatus Center scholars respond to House Republicans’ budget release.
FY2013 Budget: Serious Plan or 'Magic Beans'? By Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Matthew Mitchell \| Feb 13, 2012 Mercatus Center scholars identify key tests to help assess whether the president’s budget is a serious plan--or just more ‘magic beans.’…	President's Budget Unveils a Vision for the Future By Matthew Mitchell \| Feb 13, 2012 Matt Mitchell discusses the president's vision for the future…
President's Budget Still Focusing on Short-Term Instead of Long-Term By Jason J. Fichtner, Arnold Kling, Bruce Yandle, David M. Primo \| Feb 13, 2012 Mercatus scholars comment on the president's FY2012 budget proposal.	Preview: Mercatus Scholars Weigh in on President's Budget By Veronique de Rugy, David M. Primo, Bruce Yandle \| Feb 10, 2012 The president will present his budget to Congress. Here’s a snapshot of what Mercatus economists are saying.

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Charts

FY2013 Budget: Charts on Deficits, Debt, and Spending

In these charts, Veronique de Rugy examines the impact that the president's FY2013 budget would have on government spending.

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Experts

Veronique de Rugy

Veronique de Rugy is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Her primary research interests include the federal budget, homeland security, taxation, tax competition, and financial privacy issues.

Jason J. Fichtner

Jason J. Fichtner is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center. His primary research interests include Social Security, federal tax policy, federal budget policy, retirement security, and policy proposals to increase saving and investment.

Matthew Mitchell

Matthew Mitchell is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and the lead scholar on the Project for the Study of American Capitalism. His primary research interests include economic freedom and economic growth, public choice economics, and the economics of government-granted privileges to businesses.

Eileen Norcross

Eileen Norcross is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Her primary research interests include fiscal federalism and institutions, state and local governments, and economic development.

David M. Primo

David M. Primo is a senior scholar at the Mercatus Center and an associate professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester. His current research focuses on the value of legislative “pork” for reelection, the politics of judicial appointments, and the connection between formal models and data analysis.

Videos

America's Roundtable: Hon. Maurice McTigue, Fmr. Cabinet Member, New Zealand-Balancing the US Budget

Maurice P. McTigue | October 23, 2012

Spending Restraint and Lessons Learned: Why Cutting Spending is Key to Balancing the Federal Budget

Mike Enzi, Connie Mack, Chris Edwards

Jason J. Fichtner, James C. Miller III, Mike Enzi, Connie Mack, Chris Edwards | April 26, 2012

Podcasts

Antony Davies Discusses the Fiscal Cliff on KDKA Radio

Antony Davies | December 28, 2012

Antony Davies discusses the Fiscal Cliff on KDKA Radio.

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Recent Events

The FY 2014 ‘Budget’: The Proposals and Where We Go from Here

Please join the Mercatus Center at George Mason University’s Capitol Hill Campus for a discussion on the president’s and Congress’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposals—and whether any of the proposals adequately address the nation’s long-term budget challenges.

More Recent Events

The Debt Limit Debate Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner \| May 26, 2011 While the United States should not default on its debt, neither should Congress raise the debt ceiling without addressing the problem that created the debt: excessive spending.	Canada's Reversed Fiscal Crisis David R. Henderson, Jerrod Anderson \| May 05, 2011 This paper examines the reforms made by Canada in the mid-1990s to cut their deficit and federal debt and the lessons the US can learn from their experience.
The Debt Ceiling: What is at Stake? Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner \| Apr 28, 2011 This paper takes a detailed look at the facts behind raising the debt ceiling.	Improving the Accuracy of U.S. Government Debt Estimates Margaret Polski \| Mar 02, 2011 This paper analyzes the differences among estimates of the U.S. public debt and argues that modeling innovations are needed to improve public financial policy making and administrative management.
Making Budget Rules Work David M. Primo \| Sep 28, 2010 The United States faces severe fiscal challenges that can no longer be ignored. Entitlement spending, especially Medicare, is a ticking time bomb that must be defused. Increasing deficits and a…	Budget Gimmicks or the Destructive Art of Creative Accounting Veronique de Rugy \| Jun 15, 2010 For every attempt to cap government spending by regulation or statute, lawmakers seem to find new and creative accounting techniques that allow them to continue spending recklessly. In fact, there is…

Give Sequestration a Chance Washington Examiner By Veronique de Rugy \| Sep 28, 2012 At the edge of the fiscal cliff, policymakers and pundits are looking for answers to the question about what to do on Jan. 2, 2013. On that day, barring action by Congress, taxes -- such as the personal income, payroll, capital gains and estate taxes -- are scheduled to go up by a significant amount. Federal spending is also set to be cut, through automatic across-the-board reductions (sequestration).	Mercatus Center Economists on the House Republican Budget By David M. Primo, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Veronique de Rugy \| Mar 20, 2012 Mercatus Center scholars respond to House Republicans’ budget release.
FY2013 Budget: Serious Plan or 'Magic Beans'? By Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Matthew Mitchell \| Feb 13, 2012 Mercatus Center scholars identify key tests to help assess whether the president’s budget is a serious plan--or just more ‘magic beans.’…	President's Budget Unveils a Vision for the Future By Matthew Mitchell \| Feb 13, 2012 Matt Mitchell discusses the president's vision for the future…
President's Budget Still Focusing on Short-Term Instead of Long-Term By Jason J. Fichtner, Arnold Kling, Bruce Yandle, David M. Primo \| Feb 13, 2012 Mercatus scholars comment on the president's FY2012 budget proposal.	Preview: Mercatus Scholars Weigh in on President's Budget By Veronique de Rugy, David M. Primo, Bruce Yandle \| Feb 10, 2012 The president will present his budget to Congress. Here’s a snapshot of what Mercatus economists are saying.

Budget FY 2012

Budget FY 2012

Research

Testimony & Comments

Research Summaries & Toolkits

Expert Commentary

Charts

Experts

Videos

Podcasts

Recent Events

Media Clippings