Fiscal Policy Program: Recent and Upcoming Events

The debate about how to reform Social Security has been dominated by the fight over whether to create individual accounts and whether or not the system faces a "crisis." The central issue, what policy changes to make to address the system's long-term deficits, has been all but ignored. An esteemed group of experts will discuss many of the various options to fix Social Security, with no mention of accounts.

Summary of Remarks

The second panel of the Real State of the Union, "Rethinking Domestic Policy" was moderated by Morton Mondracke, executive editor of Roll Call. The discussion focused on fundamental problems at the core of American domestic policy, including asset management, health care, and improving standards for all Americans.

Ray Boshara, Director of New America's Asset Building Program, led off the discussion by focusing on the "ownership society." Mr. Boshara defined the current economic social status in the United States as… more

Tax reform is one of the Administration's top agenda items, but little is known about what their tax proposal will look like. What should the goals of tax reform be? How do we determine the winners and losers? Can fairness and inefficiency be balanced? How likely is it that tax reform will pass?

The New America Foundation's Fiscal Policy and Work & Family Programs brought together a panel of experts with varying perspectives to discuss the goals, prospects for and effects… more

Deficits are back, the debt is rising, and the coming election is the last before the baby boom generation begins to retire. Tough policy choices will be needed to get the country back on track, yet politicians continue to postpone making them. This policy forum -- hosted by nine different organizations with varying perspectives -- explored and debated a number of possible options to help address these fiscal challenges before it is too late.

Sponsored By:Brookings InstitutionNew America FoundationProgressive… more

Four nonpartisan budget watchdog groups will hold a NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY, APRIL 20 AT 10:00 A.M. (ET) to call on Congress to adopt budget process rules that would require both entitlement increases and tax cuts to be offset so that they don't worsen burgeoning federal budget deficits. Such rules would mark a return to the approach in effect during the 1990's that contributed to the elimination of deficits and the emergence of budget surpluses. The Senate budget plan would apply… more

Policymakers today confront a number of profound developments, whose significance is certain to increase over the next several decades. Some of these are widely anticipated: demographic and climate change, the scarcity of natural resources, and public health. Other structural issues, such as globalization, rapid technology change, and security threats, will continue to transform the world economy.

Who Will Pay?, recently profiled in The Economist, makes the case that, despite the fact that generating debate, let alone action,… more