SPOTLIGHT: Health Care

REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi - Consumer paying a bill in Boston
Henry J. Aaron and Isabel V. Sawhill, October 13, 2009
Although health care reform is intended to bend the curve of spending and reduce the deficit, it alone will not be enough, say Henry Aaron and Isabel Sawhill. They propose that Congress enact a value-added tax, the equivalent of a broad-based sales tax on all goods and services. The revenue from the new tax, and other sources, should be linked directly to public health care spending through a newly created trust fund which would pay for all federal health care spending.
Read More
Health Care, Taxes, U.S. Economy
SPOTLIGHT: Saving

Reuters/Rick Wilking - Child carries a U.S. flag in his mouth.
Isabel V. Sawhill, June 11, 2009
While the government has been busy with bailouts, who is going to bail out the U.S. government when our creditors tire of lending to us? And now, thanks to the stimulus, virtually all those over age of 65 are receiving $250 checks, regardless of whether or not they need it. Isabel Sawhill says it’s time for Congress and the administration to get serious about getting our fiscal house in order. Take our survey on these $250 checks here.
Read More
Saving, Fiscal Policy, U.S. Economic Stimulus, Federal Budget, U.S. Economy
SPOTLIGHT: Federal Budget

i-stockphoto - boardroom
The Fiscal Seminar Group, June 02, 2009
The United States faces a looming fiscal imbalance brought on by an aging population and rising health care costs. Yet, the current political environment discourages our leadership from making the tough choices required to fix our fiscal house. In this paper, a diverse group of budget experts reviews some of the recent history of appointed commissions, and discusses their potential role in long-term federal budgeting policy.
Read More
Federal Budget, Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, U.S. Economy
SPOTLIGHT: U.S. Economy

Reuters/Jim Young - U.S. President Barack Obama takes part in a town hall meeting.
February 19, 2009
A bipartisan group of budget experts from 7 different organizations view President Obama’s Fiscal Responsibility summit as a good first step to addressing the enormous long-term fiscal problem facing the United States, but urge him to lead a major public engagement effort – beyond a one-day summit – to inform Americans of the scale and nature of the long-term fiscal crisis, explain the consequences of inaction and discuss the options for solving the problem. The effort should include the creation of an independent and truly bipartisan commission or other mechanism capable of bringing about decisive action that has broad public support.
Read More
U.S. Economy, U.S. Economic Growth, Budget Deficit, Federal Budget, Fiscal Policy