Spending & Budget - Research Summaries & Toolkits

The FY 2014 Budget Proposals

Credible Reform Or Fiscal Sleight of Hand?
Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Matthew Mitchell | Mar 15, 2013
Despite years without a federal budget, trillion-dollar deficits, and ad hoc, crisis-driven fiscal and economic policies that failed to deal with the looming entitlement crisis, leaders on both sides in Washington are now touting seemingly miraculous progress toward a “fix” to our budgetary woes.

The Debt Ceiling: Assets Available to Prevent Default

Jason J. Fichtner, Veronique de Rugy | Jan 25, 2013
The debt ceiling, or the legal limit the federal government may borrow, is set currently at $16.4 trillion.[1] In his latest report, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner predicts that the United States will need to increase the debt ceiling sometime between February 15, 2013, and early March 2013.[2] The Congressional Research Service estimates the federal government will have to issue an additional $700 billion in debt above the current statutory limit to finance obligations for the remainder of FY2013…

Mercatus Center Policy Guide

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University is pleased to provide you with our new policy guide. The guide is designed to provide easily accessible economic information that might prove useful in pre- paring for hearings or town hall meetings, drafting speeches or policy papers, and generally educating the public regarding spending, taxes, regulation, financial markets, and technology policy.

Assessing the President's FY2013 Budget Proposal

Serious Plan or 'Magic Beans'?
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.

"Fixing" the Tax Code: Key Principles for Successful Reform

The most basic goal of tax policy is to raise enough revenue to meet the government’s spending requirements with the least impact on market behavior. The United States’ tax code has long failed to meet this aim: by severely distorting market decisions and the allocation of resources, it impedes both potential economic growth and potential tax revenue.

Fixing the Corporate Income Tax

Addressing Fundamental Problems With the Code
A new working paper, “Why the United States Needs to Restructure the Corporate Income Tax,” by Mercatus Center at George Mason University senior scholar Jason Fichtner suggests successful reform of the U.S. corporate tax code must address its fundamental problems: 1) the uncompetitive corporate income tax rate; and 2) the outdated “worldwide” system for corporate tax collection.

Analysis of Legislation in Order to Reduce Spending

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Matthew Mitchell | Sep 12, 2011
This toolkit provides members and their staffs with tools to help them evaluate spending bills and start the process of reducing government spending.

Performance and Accountability

Jerry Ellig, Jason J. Fichtner, Maurice P. McTigue | Sep 12, 2011
Congress should conduct rigorous oversight of federal agencies and programs not just to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, but also because current levels of spending are unsustainable, making spending cuts inevitable.

The Essential Stimulus

Lessons from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Veronique de Rugy | Sep 09, 2011
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was heralded with promises of jobs and economic growth. In retrospect, how well has it fulfilled those promises?

The Real Debt Crisis: What Can Be Done?

Matthew Mitchell | Jul 29, 2011
On July 14, Standard & Poor's (S&P) issued a warning to Washington: within months, policy makers must craft a "credible solution" to reduce deficits by at least $4 trillion over the next 10 to 12 years.