At their recent national conventions, America’s Republicans and Democrats sought to explain how they would reduce the country’s annual deficits and national debt. But, just as neither party is entirely to blame for America's fiscal weakness, neither of them is addressing the root of the problem.
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA – At their recent national conventions, America’s two main political parties devoted a lot of time on the podium to addressing how they would reduce the country’s annual deficits and national debt. Indeed, the United States has run four straight trillion-dollar deficits, driving the national debt to a record $16 trillion, and threatening to weaken the dollar and derail the global economic recovery.
While US debt might be a deciding factor in the upcoming presidential election, its origins are not as clear as many claim. Neither President Barack Obama nor former President George W. Bush should be blamed. Assertions by Republican Party leaders that excessive social support is the primary culprit – a favorite theme of vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan – are just as mistaken as Democratic Party leaders’ claim that permitting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire at the end of this year would cure all.
In fact, no single president, party, or policy is responsible. Rather, the problem is rooted in the period from the 1930’s to the 1970’s, when bipartisan majorities enacted – or supported the expansion of – the popular Social Security and Medicare programs, which provide, respectively, pensions and health care to senior citizens.
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA – At their recent national conventions, America’s two main political parties devoted a lot of time on the podium to addressing how they would reduce the country’s annual deficits and national debt. Indeed, the United States has run four straight trillion-dollar deficits, driving the national debt to a record $16 trillion, and threatening to weaken the dollar and derail the global economic recovery.
While US debt might be a deciding factor in the upcoming presidential election, its origins are not as clear as many claim. Neither President Barack Obama nor former President George W. Bush should be blamed. Assertions by Republican Party leaders that excessive social support is the primary culprit – a favorite theme of vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan – are just as mistaken as Democratic Party leaders’ claim that permitting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to expire at the end of this year would cure all.
In fact, no single president, party, or policy is responsible. Rather, the problem is rooted in the period from the 1930’s to the 1970’s, when bipartisan majorities enacted – or supported the expansion of – the popular Social Security and Medicare programs, which provide, respectively, pensions and health care to senior citizens.