Federal deficit

Editors at the New York Post caution readers to beware of questionable government stimulus proposals. With negotiations over a (yes!) fifth COVID-19 rescue package at an impasse, President Trump took action on his own Saturday, signing executive orders on a number of “stimulus” measures. Whether his actions or…

Robert VerBruggen of National Review Online highlights the latest haggling on Capitol Hill over COVID-19. You can give House Democrats credit for one thing: When they realized that another COVID-19 relief bill would be necessary, they got right on it. Their HEROES Act — I won’t bore you…

Jonathan Bydlak of the R Street Institute explains a new way of monitoring how Washington, D.C., politicians spend our money. Over the last few months, Congress has appropriated trillions of dollars in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid this flurry of spending, annual deficits are projected to be…

According to an article from the News & Observer, Over the weekend, President Donald Trump signed legislation extending the PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] deadline for small business owners. According to The Washington Post, $150 billion remains in the fund. The data from the SBA show that in North Carolina,…

Victor Davis Hanson warns at National Review Online about the danger of mounting government debt. The current U.S. budget deficit could soon exceed a record $4 trillion. The massive borrowing is being driven both by prior budget profligacy and by a hurried effort by the Donald Trump administration…

Surprisingly, for as much as Alberto Alesina’s work has meant to my own understanding of markets and governments, a Google search indicates I’ve only mentioned him by name once before. Amity Shlaes has a wonderful tribute to Alesina, who passed away this weekend, as a person and an…

CNN’s poll of registered voters nationwide show Joe Biden leading Donald Trump 51 to 46 percent. But it’s a different story in the battleground states, where the race for president will be decided. (emphasis is mine) Though other recent polling has shown some signs of concern for Biden among…

Robert VerBruggen of National Review Online focuses on the latest COVID-19 relief debate on Capitol Hill. Like it or not, this is a time when borrowing money makes sense. We are facing a severe but temporary economic disaster, and we can smooth out the damage by having the…