Episodes
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.
Thursday May 23, 2024
Jason Furman on Inflation, Interest Rates and Debt
Thursday May 23, 2024
Thursday May 23, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we'll talk with Jason Furman, a former top economic advisor to Presidents Clinton and Obama. He now teaches economics at Harvard University. We discussed the prospects of a "soft landing" for the economy and the crucial role of interest rates in projecting future debt.
Thursday May 16, 2024
Better Budgeting Is Not Gloom and Doom
Thursday May 16, 2024
Thursday May 16, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, we'll hear first from two UNH professors, Dr Carolyn Arcand and NH State Senator Dan Innis, about the relevance of fiscal policy to their students' future.
Then we'll take another look at GAO's new estimate of government-wide fraud with Rebecca Shea, co-author of the report.
Friday May 10, 2024
Social Security and Medicare Trustees Urge Prompt Action
Friday May 10, 2024
Friday May 10, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we took a close look at Social Security and Medicare, the two largest programs in the federal budget. Between them they cost nearly $2.2 trillion dollars in 2023, roughly 36 percent of total federal spending. They also affect the retirement income and healthcare of millions of Americans.
On Monday, May 6, the Social Security and Medicare trustees issued their 2024 report, which again indicated that both programs have serious challenges ahead, and those challenges are not too far off.
Thursday May 02, 2024
Saving Social Security
Thursday May 02, 2024
Thursday May 02, 2024
This week on Facing the Future we’ll look at the future of Social Security with former U.S. Representative Reid Ribble (R-WI), who served in Congress from 2011-2017.
In 2016, Ribble released the Save Our Social Security Act (S.O.S.) with a bipartisan group of co-sponsors. We discussed that plan with him and why he thinks Social Security reform is essential.
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
How Much Does the U.S. Government Lose in Fraud?
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, we'll discuss a new report on fraud by the Government Accountability Office, along with a review of the foreign aid spending bill and the latest news on the economy.
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Students Rise to the Fiscal Challenge
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
Thursday Apr 18, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, we'll get some policy ideas from three college students who recently took part in an annual Fiscal Challenge competition where teams from around the country devise and defend their own plans for putting the federal budget on a sustainable path. Dr. Mike Aguilar, founder and president of the Fiscal Challenge also joined the discussion.
Friday Apr 12, 2024
The 2025 Tax Blob
Friday Apr 12, 2024
Friday Apr 12, 2024
This week on Facing the Future, we'll look at what happens at the end of 2025 when many of the tax cuts enacted in 2017 are scheduled to expire. What should Congress be doing to prepare for this fiscal cliff? How much would it cost to extend the tax cuts? Are there viable options to offset the revenue loss? We’ll get some perspectives on all these questions from Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.