Episodes

Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Huizenga and Peters Say No Budget No Pay
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
Tuesday Oct 21, 2025
This week on Facing the Future we talked with Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) about two bills they have co-sponsored. One would create a bipartisan fiscal commission and the other would dock the pay of members of Congress for not doing their budget and appropriations bills on time.

Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Economic Growth Alone Won't Reduce the Debt
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, former CBO director Doug Elmendorf of Harvard's Kennedy School discussed the state of the economy, the government shutdown and why policymakers should not rely on economic growth alone to rein in the unsustainable growth of debt.

Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Economic Fallout from the Shutdown
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025

Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Expiring Subsidies and New Fees
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
Wednesday Oct 01, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, we discussed expiring premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans with Matt McGough of KFF and a new fee proposed by President Trump for high-skilled worker visas (H-1B) with Theresa Cardinal Brown of the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
The Debt is the Threat
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, former U. S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) discussed why the nation's debt is on an unsustainable path and what needs to be done about it.

Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
The Economic Impact of Artificial Intelligence
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, Dr. Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn-Wharton Budget Model discussed a new report on the potential economic and budgetary impact of generative AI. He also described an illustrative package of tax and spending reforms to reduce future budget deficits and grow the economy.

Wednesday Sep 10, 2025
Government Shutdown Looms
Wednesday Sep 10, 2025
Wednesday Sep 10, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, Rachel Snyderman and Caleb Quakenbush of the Bipartisan Policy Center discuss the prospect of a government shutdown, the growth in tariff revenue and the president's "pocket rescission."

Wednesday Sep 03, 2025
Rethinking a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution
Wednesday Sep 03, 2025
Wednesday Sep 03, 2025

Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
Should Taxes Be Designated for Specific Purposes?
Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
Wednesday Aug 27, 2025
This week on Facing the Future, tax expert Bill Gale of the Brookings Institution discussed the effects of higher tariffs and a new commentary he co-authored on the idea of using earmarked revenues as a deficit reduction strategy. Concord Coalition Executive Director Carolyn Bourdeaux joined the conversation.

Tuesday Aug 19, 2025
What Would a Debt-induced Crisis Look Like?
Tuesday Aug 19, 2025
Tuesday Aug 19, 2025
This week on Facing the Future we talked with Dennis Lockhart, former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He gave us his take on the state of the economy and what might happen in a debt-induced fiscal crisis. Concord Coalition Executive Director Carolyn Bourdeaux joined the conversation.

