Government Spending
US public debt levels now exceed the size of the entire economy and are set to double by mid-century. Recent government spending has helped generate the largest surge in inflation in more than four decades. By showing that this surge will continue as long as policymakers fail to recognize its fiscal roots, Mercatus research endeavors to reignite and inform public debates on fiscal sustainability and entitlement reform.
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Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Millennials Feel Poor and Are the Richest | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Both Presidential Candidates Say No to Ally Japan’s Money for US Steel | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
US Steel-Nippon Steel: A Global Deal for American Prosperity | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Industrial Policy and Electoral Politics | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Alternative To Doing Nothing About Foreign Subsidies | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Political Right Has Luxury Beliefs, Too | Reason
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Ways of Funding Government | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Middle Class Shoulders Bear the Burden of Corporate Tax Hikes | KABC radio’s “Mottek on Money”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Middle Class Bears the Burden of Biden’s Corporate Tax Hike | KCOL radio’s “The Jimmy Lakey Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Reaction to PPI, Rate Cuts, and Inflation | CNBC’s “Squawk Box”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Price of Budgetary Uncertainty, Part 1: The Fiscal Pain of Shutdowns | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Do We Evaluate Shutdown Costs? | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Get Ready for Massive Budget Fights | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Capping Credit Card Fees Is Dangerous | Freedom Works Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Taxes the Right Way and Spending Cuts the Right Way | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A New Fiscal Commission Must Heed the Lesson of ‘97 | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
State of the Union Address vs. Economic Reality | National Review’s “The Corner”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Should Your Bank’s Overdraft Protection Be Considered a Junk Fee? | Lars Larson ShowLars Larson Show
Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Millennials Feel Poor and Are the Richest | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Both Presidential Candidates Say No to Ally Japan’s Money for US Steel | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
US Steel-Nippon Steel: A Global Deal for American Prosperity | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Industrial Policy and Electoral Politics | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Alternative To Doing Nothing About Foreign Subsidies | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Political Right Has Luxury Beliefs, Too | Reason
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Ways of Funding Government | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Middle Class Shoulders Bear the Burden of Corporate Tax Hikes | KABC radio’s “Mottek on Money”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Middle Class Bears the Burden of Biden’s Corporate Tax Hike | KCOL radio’s “The Jimmy Lakey Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Reaction to PPI, Rate Cuts, and Inflation | CNBC’s “Squawk Box”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Price of Budgetary Uncertainty, Part 1: The Fiscal Pain of Shutdowns | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Do We Evaluate Shutdown Costs? | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Get Ready for Massive Budget Fights | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Capping Credit Card Fees Is Dangerous | Freedom Works Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Taxes the Right Way and Spending Cuts the Right Way | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A New Fiscal Commission Must Heed the Lesson of ‘97 | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
State of the Union Address vs. Economic Reality | National Review’s “The Corner”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Should Your Bank’s Overdraft Protection Be Considered a Junk Fee? | Lars Larson ShowLars Larson Show
Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Social Security Needs Fixing, Tax Increases on Savings Are Not the Solution
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
A Fiscal Accounting of COVID Inflation
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Fiscal Dominance: How Worried Should We Be?
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Funding Parental Leave Today with Tomorrow’s Social Security Benefits Won’t Work
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Why We Have Federal Deficits: An Updated Analysis
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Keynesian Stimulus: A Virtuous Semicircle?
- | Monetary Policy Monetary Policy
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Economic Situation, June 2021
- | Healthcare Healthcare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Understanding CBO’s Medicare for All Cost Estimates
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Economic Situation, March 2021
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Recent Trends in US Highway and Bridge Conditions
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
An Analysis of Connecticut’s Public Employee Retirement Plans
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Research Papers Research Papers
An Interstate Compact to End the Economic Development Subsidy Arms Race
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Research Papers Research Papers
Flattening the Debt Curve: Empirical Lessons for Fiscal Consolidation
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Journal Articles Journal Articles
Does Census Hiring Stimulate Jobs Growth?
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
No More State and Local Government Bailouts
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Debt and Growth: A Decade of Studies
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Public Sector Pensions and the COVID-19 Shock
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
The Cost of COVID-19: A Rough Estimate of the 2020 US GDP Impact
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Policy Briefs Policy Briefs
Corporate Welfare: Beyond the Budgetary Cost
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Books Books
Decoding the Debates: Fugitive Notes on Federal Economic Policy
Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Millennials Feel Poor and Are the Richest | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Both Presidential Candidates Say No to Ally Japan’s Money for US Steel | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
How Middle Class Shoulders Bear the Burden of Corporate Tax Hikes | KABC radio’s “Mottek on Money”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Middle Class Bears the Burden of Biden’s Corporate Tax Hike | KCOL radio’s “The Jimmy Lakey Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | TV Appearance TV Appearance
Reaction to PPI, Rate Cuts, and Inflation | CNBC’s “Squawk Box”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Capping Credit Card Fees Is Dangerous | Freedom Works Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Taxes the Right Way and Spending Cuts the Right Way | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Should Your Bank’s Overdraft Protection Be Considered a Junk Fee? | Lars Larson ShowLars Larson Show
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Will Student Loan Forgiveness Solve Anything for America? | Lars Larson Show
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Joe Biden's Irresponsible Student Loan Forgiveness | KNRS radio’s “The Rod Arquette Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Inflation, Bidenomics, and the Expanding Debt | WINA radio’s “The Schilling Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Why Consumers Are Always Right About EVs and Cupcakes | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Reality of Debt | KVOI radio’s “WakeUp! Tucson with Chris DeSimone”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
When an Item Costs More but You Still Need It? That’s “Inelastic Demand.” | Marketplace Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Shrinking Potato Chip Bags vs. Exploding Debt | WJIM radio’s “The Steve Gruber Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Inflation and a Special Guest Coming to Iowa | WHO radio’s “The Simon Conway Show”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
Is Joe Biden Focused On Snacks When He Should Be Focused On Spending? | Lars Larson Show
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
No Rate Cuts Called For With $10 Trillion Treasuries To Sell | CBS Radio
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Radio Appearance Radio Appearance
The Child Tax Credit Grows and Grows Without Common Sense | CBS Radio
Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Improving CBO Projections
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
"Bidenomics" Is Not the Solution to Helping Low Income Americans
US Senate Committee on the Budget | Reducing Inequality, Fueling Growth: How Public Investment Promotes Prosperity for All
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Spending Growth, Not Tax Policy, Is the Main Driver of Federal Debt
US Senate Committee on the Budget | The Rich Get Richer, Deficits Get Bigger: How Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Corporations Drive the National Debt
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
An Interstate Compact to End Company-Specific Subsidies
Testimony before the Illinois General Assembly, House Revenue and Finance Committee
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Ending Nondisclosure Agreements Would Reduce Subsidy Waste
Testimony before the Illinois General Assembly, House Revenue and Finance Committee
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Project No. 3-20 Proposed Changes May Obscure Government Fiscal Health
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Poor Americans Will Suffer from a Paid Leave Mandate
- | Corporate Welfare Corporate Welfare
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Congress Should Reflect on Past Financial Relief Before Providing More
Testimony before the US Senate, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Comments on the Ex-Im Bank's Proposed Additionality Criteria
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Comments on the Ex-Im Bank's Current Economic Impact Procedures
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Comments on the Ex-Im Bank's Proposed Additionality Criteria
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | State Testimonies State Testimonies
Pennsylvania's Fiscal Health: Current Status and Recommendations for Improvement
Testimony before the York County, Pennsylvania Legislative Delegation
- | Academic & Student Programs Academic & Student Programs
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
How to Make the BLS Better
Testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Curbing Wasteful Year-End Federal Government Spending: Reforming "Use It or Lose It" Rules
Testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
The Need for Constitutional Budget Reform
Testimony before the House Committee on the Judiciary
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Public Interest Comments Public Interest Comments
Response to Presidential Memorandum on Fiduciary Duty Rule
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Change the Trajectory of Debt
Testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Restoring and Modernizing Social Security through Sustainable Reform
Testimony before the House Committee on the Budget
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Competitive Sourcing in Government
Testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Operations
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Federal Testimonies Federal Testimonies
Budget Process Reform: Utilizing Performance Information to Produce Better Outcomes
Testimony before the House Committee on the Budget
Latest work in Government Spending
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
US Steel-Nippon Steel: A Global Deal for American Prosperity | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Industrial Policy and Electoral Politics | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
An Alternative To Doing Nothing About Foreign Subsidies | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Political Right Has Luxury Beliefs, Too | Reason
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Ways of Funding Government | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden's Corporate Tax Hike: Populism Versus Economic Literacy | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Price of Budgetary Uncertainty, Part 1: The Fiscal Pain of Shutdowns | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
How Do We Evaluate Shutdown Costs? | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Get Ready for Massive Budget Fights | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
A New Fiscal Commission Must Heed the Lesson of ‘97 | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
State of the Union Address vs. Economic Reality | National Review’s “The Corner”
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Has Bidenomics Worked? It’s Too Soon to Say | Bloomberg Opinion
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Nostalgia Versus Numbers: Challenging America's Economic Pessimism | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Nostalgia Versus Numbers: Challenging America's Economic Pessimism | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
The Power of Symbolism | The Budget Process at 50
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Is Another Child Tax Credit Expansion Really the Best Way To Help Families? | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Deregulation vs. Subsidies | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Biden's Super Bowl Shrinkflation Blame Game | Creators Syndicate
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary
Ignore Consumers at Your Own Risk | National Review
- | Government Spending Government Spending
- | Expert Commentary Expert Commentary