Episodes
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Depolarization Needed for Debt Solutions
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, Bob Bixby switched from the host chair to the guest seat to talk about his 25-year career as Executive Director of The Concord Coalition. National Field Director Phil Smith asked Bob questions about the importance of the federal budget, the fiscal outlook, and The Concord Coalition over the years. Later in the show, Phil interviewed two of our Fiscal Lookout volunteers, Kevin Wiley of Indiana and Erik Carter of New York, about the work of political depolarization and engaging their communities in fiscal issues.
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Debt Solutions are Possible
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we’ll talk with Jeff Holland of the Peterson Foundation about a series of papers released last week called Solutions Initiative 2024. It features seven plans from prominent think tanks, including one from our second guest, Andrew Lautz of the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Tax Policy on the Campaign Trail
Friday Jul 26, 2024
Friday Jul 26, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, we'll take a preliminary look at the tax policy proposals of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. In addition, we'll consider the tax policy implications of a case recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Our guest is Steven Rosenthal, senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Should the Fed Cut Interest Rates?
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we'll look at whether the Fed has seen enough progress on inflation to begin cutting interest rates? Our guest is Gordon Gray, executive director of the Pinpoint Policy Institute. Then, we'll say farewell to frequent co-host Tori Gorman as she takes up a new job with the Congressional Research Service.
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
NH Boys State Tackles the Debt
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we'll get perspectives from high school students who negotiated their own budget plans at a recent New Hampshire Boys State conference. Then we'll review what Presidents Biden and Trump said about the debt and Social Security at the debate.
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
Washington's Do Nothing Plan
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, Bob was joined by Concord Coalition Co-Chairs and former U.S. Senators Bob Kerrey (D-NE) and Jack Danforth (R-MO). Thirty years ago they co-chaired a bipartisan commission on entitlement and tax reform that warned of unsustainable budget trends. Reflecting back upon the past three decades, the bright spots are overshadowed by the same looming problems the Kerrey-Danforth Commission warned of in 1994. The Co-Chairs outlined where we stand and where we go from here. Concord Coalition Policy Director Tori Gorman joined the conversation.
Friday Jun 21, 2024
Federal Budget Numbers Take a Turn for the Worse
Friday Jun 21, 2024
Friday Jun 21, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, Bob Bixby was joined by Concord Coalition Policy Director Tori Gorman and Chief Economist Steve Robinson to discuss the latest 10-year Budget and Economic Outlook from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO report projects that the federal budget deficit will grow from $2 trillion this year to $2.8 trillion by 2034 (adjusted to exclude timing shifts that occur when the first day of the fiscal year falls on a weekend). Bob, Tori, and Steve broke down the key projections from the report and what each could mean for interest rates, jobs, and economic growth going forward.
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
What Have We Learned From COVID?
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
Thursday Jun 13, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, Bob Bixby was joined on the show by Dr. Michael T. Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. He also served as one of thirteen COVID-19 advisors on President-elect Biden’s pandemic advisory board in 2020. Osterholm provided insights into where we currently stand with COVID-19 and what lessons we can learn to better prepare for the next pandemic. Concord Coalition Chief Economist Steve Robinson and National Field Director Phil Smith joined the conversation.
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
World Hotspots Challenge U.S Defense Budget
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
Thursday Jun 06, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we’ll examine developments on the national security front with Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution. Topics include the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as well as competition with China.
Thursday May 30, 2024
Tough Fiscal Choices Today Will Protect Future Generations
Thursday May 30, 2024
Thursday May 30, 2024
This week on Facing the Future Bob was joined by George Mason University Professor Sita Slavov to discuss her recent essay Making Tough Fiscal Choices to Protect Future Generations and the relevance of long term sustainability to younger generations. Slavov has previously worked with the White House Council of Economic Advisors and was a member of the 2019 Social Security Technical Panel on Assumptions and Methods. Concord Coalition National Field Director Phil Smith joined the conversation.