Facing the Future

Latest Episodes:

Is Congress Up To The Fiscal Challenge? Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Dr. Phillip Joyce of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy describes the substantive, procedural and Constitutional fiscal challenges that Congress has repeatedly kicked down the road.

Is France a Fiscal Warning for the U.S.? Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, former CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum, explains why problems in France's bond market carry a warning for the U.S. He also argues that the Federal Reserve should keep raising interest rates to fight inflation.

Debt is an Affordability Issue Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Ben Ritz of the Progressive Policy Institute explains why the rising national debt has become a big cost-of-living problem.

Debating Social Security's Future Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we discuss two very different visions of how to keep Social Security solvent over the long-term without a bailout from the U.S. Treasury. Wendell Primus of the Brookings Institution and Romina Boccia of the Cato Institute debate the options.

Is There a Fiscal Doomsday? Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we hear from a prominent group of former elected officials and economists who describe what a debt-induced fiscal crisis would look like in the United States, what could trigger such an event and how to avoid one.

Dividend Checks With No Dividend Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we discussed President Trump's promise of $5,000 checks, tariff income, war spending and the economy with Jim Capretta, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

The Bond Market Is Sending A Warning On Debt Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, explains why the cost of borrowing is going up and the implications of higher interest rates for families, businesses and the federal budget. She also discusses inflation, tariffs and Social Security reform.

Walking on a Fragile Fiscal Cliff Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, former CBO director Doug Elmendorf discusses the $40 trillion debt and why it matters now, not just in the future. He also gives his assessment of what artificial intelligence could mean for the economy and the federal budget.

Social Security Needs Reform, Not A Bailout Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

The week on Facing the Future, former Public Trustee of Social Security Dr. Charles Blahous describes why the program is in need of reform as it approaches trust fund insolvency in 2032. He also looks at the generational impact of various reform options.

Congress Needs To Do Its Job Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we discuss why Congress never does a budget and why that matters for the Constitutional process, the growth of the debt and the fate of younger generations. Our guest is Thomas Kahn, Director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University.

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