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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Budget

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Real Clear Markets | To Reduce Our Federal Debt Risk, Let's Issue Equity
The problem with the federal debt is not only its size but when it needs to be refinanced. A shade less than 70% of the $16 trillion of outstanding federal debt matures in 5 years or less. A 2% rise in rates would, very quickly, almost double Treasury's interest costs.
Daily Signal | We’ve Been Calculating Budget Scores for Legislation Like Obamacare All Wrong
There is hubris in every government project. The unspoken idea behind bills as comprehensive as the Affordable Care Act and Dodd-Frank is that legislators can understand how a system works, tinker with it and improve it.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | Obama May Highlight Shrinking Budget Deficits, But They Mask Mounting Debt
The markedly improved outlook, likely to get a nod in the president’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, has helped shift the budget debate in Washington away from grand fiscal plans and debt ceiling showdowns to discussions about process and other priorities. But overall debt continues to grow, and the federal government still faces an array of long-term challenges, including rising costs related to an aging population.