Facing the Future

Latest Episodes:

Congress Needs a Plan for an Economic Shock Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Marc Goldwein, Senior Vice President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, outlines a "break glass in case of emergency" plan for the next economic shock.

The Fiscal Uncertainty of War Costs Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we'll look at the potential cost of U.S. military operations in Iran, the President's State of the Union Address and our upcoming road trip to New Hampshire and Maine.

CBO Projects Record Debt Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future we discussed the latest budget and economic projections from the Congressional Budget Office with the agency's director Dr. Phillip Swagel. He describes why the national debt is headed for record territory and the fiscal fallout from the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate some of the President's tariffs.

Social Security Solvency Will Require Hard Choices Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future Wendell Primus, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former Senior Policy Advisor to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, described his plan to keep the Social Security trust fund from becoming insolvent as soon as 2032. Some political pain will be required.

The Public Can Handle the Truth Feb 10, 2026

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This week on Facing the Future, former Comptroller General of the United States and CEO of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) David Walker discussed his efforts to sound the alarm on the dangers of rising debt and unsustainable government commitments.

Congress Must Defuse the Debt Bomb Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, explained the economic dangers of ignoring the nation's spiraling debt and suggested some Social Security and Medicare reforms that would help.

The Economy, Tariffs and Greenland Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, former Ambassador to Denmark Richard Swett discusses a way forward on U.S. interests in Greenland and Alex Durante, senior economist at the Tax Foundation, evaluates the impact of President Trump's tariff agenda.

Is Defense Spending Going Up? Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future we examined developments on the national security front with Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow and director of research in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution and author of a timely new book called “To Dare Mighty Things: U.S. Defense Strategy Since the Revolution”

Don't Mess With The Fed's Independence Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) discussed the growing U.S. debt burden, the case for a fiscal commission, and why it's bad policy to attack the Fed's independence.

The Urgency of Social Security Reform Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we discussed Social Security reform with Jason Fichtner, executive director of the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute and former chief economist at the Social Security Administration. With the program's main trust fund projected to be depleted by 2032, prompt action must be taken to avoid sudden benefit cuts.

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