Blog
Welcome to our blog – The Bottom Line, where you’ll find up-to-date commentary and analysis on the most important news in the fiscal world. Below is a list of our blog posts.
More Support for the Gang of Six
As the debt-ceiling proposals from Rep. Boehner and Sen. Reid continue to be debated, support for the comprehensive, balanced proposal offered by the...
Recent Study Ranks U.S. Debt Fifth Largest Among Major Economies
A recent report from the Associated Press Global Economy Tracker found that the U.S. national debt (as a percentage of GDP) is the fifth largest among...
IMF Report Calls for Balanced, Comprehensive Fiscal Reform Plan
Earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its annual report The United States: 2011 Article IV Consultation, highlighting the...
MY VIEW: Tim Penny and Bill Frenzel
In a new op-ed published in Investor's Business Daily, CRFB co-chairs Tim Penny and Bill Frenzel offer insight into how Democrats and Republicans in...
Comparing the Reid and Boehner Proposals
If you take a look at House Speaker John Boehner's proposal and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposal -- both of which increase the debt limit...
A Tale of Two Caps
Update: CBO has scored Boehner's legislation, showing it to reduce deficits by a total of $850 billion from 2012-2021. The discretionary caps are $1.1...
Boehner and Reid Plans Moving Forward
The state of play in the debt negotiations has been an ever-evolving spectacle over the last several weeks. First the Biden group negotiations, then...
President Obama To Address the Nation at 9PM
Tonight, President Obama will address the nation at 9 PM EST about the current negotiations going on between him and Congress over how to raise the...
The Decisions Behind Getting to a Sustainable Debt Path
Although this idea isn't brand new, CBO director Doug Elmendorf has a blog post that concisely illustrates the trade-offs that must be made in order...
CRFB Senior Advisor Elmer B. Staats Passes Away
Elmer B. Staats, a Senior Advisor of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and former comptroller general of the United States, died...
‘Line’ Items: Heat is on Edition
Beat the Heat…and the Clock – Washington is dealing with stifling heat, but that isn’t the only thing making policymakers sweat. As thermometers reach...
A Different Approach to the Balanced Budget Amendment
The focus in Washington on deficit reduction has produced a slew of balanced budget amendment proposals this year. Many lawmakers see a balanced...