Debt & Deficit - Expert Commentary

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Let Cyprus Be the Lesson

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By Antony Davies, James R. Harrigan |
Mar 22, 2013
Greece's chronic overspending led to economic near-collapse last year. Now it is Cyprus' turn. Were it not for years of overspending, Cyprus might have been able to bail out its banking sector. Instead, the EU and IMF are faced with yet another European economy in financial distress. This time, though, the EU has put a price on its aid to Cyprus.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Give Sequestration a Chance

Washington Examiner
By Veronique de Rugy |
Mar 08, 2013
There's been lots of alarmism from interest groups about the impact of sequestration on teachers, security, White House tourism and congressional janitors. In addition, many commentators are arguing that it is wrong to reduce the burden of government spending in a weak economy -- no matter how small the actual cuts are.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

There Is Good And Bad Austerity, And Italy Chose Bad

Forbes
By Veronique de Rugy, Alberto Alesina |
Mar 07, 2013
Italians understood the gravity of their economic situation in November 2011 when Mario Monti was appointed, and were prepared to make sacrifices to help pull their country back from a cliff.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Bowles-Simpson 2.0 Won't Be Enough

Washington Examiner
By Veronique de Rugy |
Feb 22, 2013
Erskine Bowles and former senator Alan Simpson, the two co-chairmen of the President's bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, put out a new plan to address our long-term debt problems.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Ten Things the Latest CBO Report Tells Us About Federal Finances

e21
By Charles Blahous |
Feb 07, 2013
Earlier this week the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its updated outlook for the federal budget. Here are ten lessons it teaches us about the troubled state of federal finances.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Nips and Tucks and Big Budget Cuts

The New York Times
By Tyler Cowen |
Feb 02, 2013
Unless lawmakers act by March 1, the budget sequestration process will start cutting government spending automatically — reductions that would amount to $1.2 trillion by 2021.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Living Eisenhower's Nightmare

Washington Examiner
By Veronique de Rugy |
Jan 25, 2013
During his 1961 farewell address, President Eisenhower warned the American people that one of the greatest threats to freedom came not from enemies abroad, but "the conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry," which over time would lose sight of the goal of defending the United States and become devoted only to its own perpetuation."…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Leadership on Social Security Desperately Needed

e21
By Charles Blahous |
Jan 22, 2013
When President Obama was first inaugurated four years ago, the budget-related meme of the moment was that virtually all of our projected fiscal problems were due to health care, and Social Security represented a relatively small problem.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Runaway Federal Debt Means Our Money Is Worth Less

Investor's Business Daily
By Antony Davies, James R. Harrigan |
Jan 11, 2013
From 1954 through 2012, the federal government shelled out a total of almost $72 trillion on all spending, combined. Over the same period, it collected revenues of under $56 trillion from all sources. The $16 trillion difference is today's federal debt.…
EXPERT COMMENTARY

Lies and Politicians

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By Antony Davies, James R. Harrigan |
Jan 07, 2013
Once upon a time, politicians worked very hard to render their lies believable. That time has passed.…