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Journal Article
Fiscal policy in an era of surpluses
Federal surpluses have come as a pleasant surprise, but using them to finance additional government spending would be disastrous. By the middle of the next decade, Social Security and Medicare outlays will soar beyond projected payroll taxes. While using the surpluses to offset future entitlement payments is a good idea, finding a way to do it is not so easy. This Commentary suggests it could be accomplished by paying down the national debt and combining the remaining surplus with Social Security reform.
Journal Article
Does Social Security worsen inequality?
Gaps between the rich and poor grow once people hit retirement. Some say privatizing Social Security will increase wealth inequality among retirees. This Commentary argues it won't and suggests that the current system may be reducing wealth mobility from one generation to the next. This Commentary is based on a presentation given at the CATO Institute's conference on Social Security Privatization, February 5-7, 2001.
Journal Article
The Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993: a summary report
A summary of the administration's final budget bill that was enacted in summer 1993, highlighting the changes in the scope and timing of deficit reductions and in the amount and distribution of revenue increases.
Journal Article
Are we saving enough?
Americans are saving less than they used to. At the same time, they are spending more years in retirement, and Social Security still has long-term financial shortfalls. The author finds that most American households must raise their saving rates considerably if they are to maintain their current living standards through retirement.
Journal Article
An overview of the Clinton budget plan
An investigation of the allocative consequences of resource shifts that would result if the Clinton administration's budget plan is adopted, examining the timing and composition of both net outlay cuts and net revenue increases represented in the budget proposal, as well as the generational impact of each.
Journal Article
The baby boomers' mega-inheritance-myth or reality?
Retirees are one of the wealthiest segments of the U.S. population, and today's retirees have more wealth than any previous generation. Some have conjectured that bequests out of this wealth will significantly boost the resources of the baby boomers-the next generation of retirees-bridging the gap between their retirement needs and resources. This Economic Commentary argues against such a view and explains why boomers have no alternative but to save for their own retirement.
Journal Article
Should social security be privatized?
An examination of the rationale for public pension programs, a look at how the current U.S. Social Security system evolved, and an analysis of the issues surrounding privatization.
Journal Article
The effect of war expenditures on U.S. output
A study of how war-related temporary increases in government expenditures affect real interest rates and output, with particular emphasis on the probable fiscal effects of the Persian Gulf War.
Journal Article
Medicare: usual and customary remedies will no longer work
A description of the structural deficiencies that have led to Medicare's impending bankruptcy, and a discussion of the merits of alternative approaches to extending the program's long-term viability. The author argues that the best approach is to adopt a "defined contribution" plan that will restore consumers' interest in economizing on health care services and boost competition among providers and insurers.
Journal Article
Social Security: are we getting our money's worth?
An examination of Social Security from an individual investment perspective, showing that continued delays in addressing the program's shortcomings will only increase the intergenerational inequities that now exist.