Facing the Future

Latest Episodes:

Another Year Older and Deeper in Debt Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Concord Coalition executive director Carolyn Bourdeaux and other top members of Concord's staff look back on key fiscal developments of 2025 and the deepening debt challenges of 2026. Join us for Facing the Future's holiday 'Friends and Family' episode.

Controlling Medicare Costs Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future we’ll look at Medicare, one of the biggest drivers of America’s long-term fiscal outlook. Amy Bassano, a former deputy director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) and now Managing Director of Medicare services at Health Management Associates, discusses cost trends and reform options.

New Leaders are Needed to Solve Old Problems Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Leon Panetta, one of Washington's most experienced budget experts and a top national security official, gives us his view on what it will take to restore fiscal discipline and why achieving that goal is crucial.

The Bond Market is King Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we'll check in on the economy and the bond market with Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. She recently wrote a paper for the Peter G. Peterson Foundation titled, “Welcome to the New Era of U.S. Debt Where the Bond Market is King.”

Government Reopens With All The Same Problems Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we look at the daunting agenda facing Congress after passing a budget deal to temporarily reopen the government. Our guest is Ben Ritz, Vice President of Policy Development at the Progressive Policy Institute.

Untethered Fiscal Policy Challenges the Fed Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, Peter Fisher, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy, describes the potential consequences of America's “untethered fiscal policy” and the risks of hyperinflation or default on the debt.

Premium Subsidy Extension Should Be Paid For Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we looked at the major impact of health care spending on the federal budget with Anna Bonelli, Director of Health Policy at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The discussion included expiring enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare insolvency and Medicare Advantage overpayments.

What's Next For Tax Policy? Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, we focused on tax policy with Howard Gleckman, non-resident fellow at the Urban Institute and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. He explained his recent column, "What The Ugly History of Tax Policy Over The Past Four Decades Means For The Future."

Huizenga and Peters Say No Budget No Pay Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future we talked with Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) about two bills they have co-sponsored. One would create a bipartisan fiscal commission and the other would dock the pay of members of Congress for not doing their budget and appropriations bills on time.

Economic Growth Alone Won't Reduce the Debt Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

This week on Facing the Future, former CBO director Doug Elmendorf of Harvard's Kennedy School discussed the state of the economy, the government shutdown and why policymakers should not rely on economic growth alone to rein in the unsustainable growth of debt.

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