Transcript Slide 1

Fiscal Solutions Tour: The Challenges Ahead
presented by
Robert L. Bixby, Executive Director
THE CONCORD COALITION
www.concordcoalition.org
www.concordcoalition.org
THE CONCORD
COALITION
Composition of FY 2010 Federal Government
Revenues and Outlays
(Deficit: $1.29 Trillion)
Interest
Domestic*
Defense
Estate & Gift Taxes
($18 billion)
Other Taxes
Corporate Taxes
Other
Entitlements
Social
Insurance
Taxes
Medicare
& Medicaid
Individual
Income
Taxes
Social
Security
Outlays: $3.45 trillion**
Revenue: $2.1 trillion
*Includes all appropriated domestic spending such as education, transportation, homeland security, housing assistance and foreign aid.
**Numbers may not add due to the preliminary nature of the fiscal year numbers.
Source: CBO October 2010 and Department of Treasury 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Current Policy Trends Lead to Large Sustained Deficits
Fiscal Years 2011-2020
Billions of Dollars
-$6.2 Trillion Deficit
-$15.2 Trillion Deficit
CBO August 2010 Baseline
The Concord Coalition Plausible Baseline assumes that discretionary spending grows at the rate
of nominal GDP, that war costs slow gradually, that Medicare physician payment cuts are
postponed, and that all expiring tax provisions (including those from the 2009 stimulus package)
are extended with AMT relief.
Source: Congressional Budget Office, August 2010 and Concord Coalition analysis.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Federal Spending vs. Revenues as a
Percent of GDP (FY 1980-2020)
CBO August Baseline Compared to the President’s Budget
Actual
Projected
Percentage of GDP
Average outlays: 21.0%
Average revenues: 18.3%
 CBO August 2010 Baseline

CBO’s Estimate of the President’s Budget
Source: Congressional Budget Office, August 2010..
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COALITION
Percent of Debt Held by the Public
Owned by Foreigners
Percentage of Ownership of Publicly-Held Debt
(1987-2010)
Source: United States Treasury Department, Treasury Bulletin, September 2010.
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COALITION
Billions of Dollars
Interest Costs Go Through The Roof
Source: Congressional Budget Office August 2010 and CBO’s Analysis of the President’s Budget, March 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Factors Explaining Future Federal Spending on Medicare,
Medicaid, and Social Security
Percent of Growth Attributed to:
2035
2080
Health Care Cost Growth
37%
56%
Aging
63%
44%
Source: Congressional Budget Office, June 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Debt Held by the Public as a Percent of GDP
1940-2040
As a Percentage of GDP
Actual
World War II
108.6%
Source: GAO Analysis, 2010 and OMB Historical Tables 2010.
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Projected
2010
63.6%
THE CONCORD
COALITION
Mandatory spending is consuming a
growing share of the budget
1970
62%
1990
31%
40%
45%
2010
39%
55%
7%
15%
Mandatory
Net Interest
6%
Discretionary
Source: Congressional Budget Office, August 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Outlays of Select Non-Defense Discretionary Programs
(Fiscal Year 2010)
Education Transportation Housing,
Natural
Energy & Resources
Nutrition Asst.
Veterans
Foreign Aid
General
Government
Science,
Space &
Technology
*includes ground, air, and water
Source: Congressional Budget Office.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
As a Percentage of GDP
Non-Defense Discretionary Spending as a
Percentage of GDP
Source: Congressional Budget Office, August 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
As a Percentage of GDP
Defense Discretionary Spending as a
Percentage of GDP
Source: Congressional Budget Office, August 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Sources of Growth in the Federal Budget
Over the Next 30 Years
Individual Income Taxes = 6.5%
Current Defense Spending = 4.7%
Source: Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office. 2010.
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Shortcomings of the Current System
• There is no fiscal goal
• PAYGO has large and confusing exemptions
• PAYGO does not apply to automatic spending growth
• Annual appropriations have no enforceable cap
• Long-term costs are not accounted for
• Inadequate oversight
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THE CONCORD
COALITION
Possible Changes
• Set a fiscal goal such as debt-to-GDP ratio
• Eliminate PAYGO exemptions
• Set targets for major entitlement programs enforced by
automatic triggers
• Set multi-year enforceable spending caps
• Require long-term cost estimates in the budget resolution
and for major initiatives
• Adopt biennial budgeting and/or “base closing” approach
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THE CONCORD
COALITION