United States public debt

July 09, 2014

Student Debt and the Value of an Education

“Despite the mounting cost and swelling debt,” notes Laura Prejean in this week’s Acton Commentary, “America’s demand for education, particularly higher education, has not decreased, defying typical market expectations.” This is what economists call inelastic demand, when people continue to buy a good or service regardless of an increase in prices. Continue Reading...

October 08, 2013

Explainer: What You Should Know About the Debt Ceiling

What is the debt limit or debt ceiling? In most years the federal government brings in less revenue than it spends. To cover this difference, the Treasury Department has to issue government bonds which increases the national debt. Continue Reading...

December 07, 2012

How (Not) to Solve the Debt Crisis with Two Trillion Dollar Platinum Coins

At some point everyone has heard an idea being discussed in Washington, D.C. and thought or said, “That’s insane.” Americans generally recognize there is, more often than not, something not quite right about inside-the-Beltway thinking. Continue Reading...

April 13, 2011

Acton Commentary: Do Less with Less

In this week’s Acton Commentary, “Do Less with Less: What the History of Federal Debt and Tax Leverage Teaches,” I reflect on how the federal government has lived beyond its means for decades. Continue Reading...

March 11, 2011

A Discussion of ‘A Call for Intergenerational Justice’

Last night Gideon Strauss of the Center for Public Justice was generous enough to join us for a public discussion of the recently-released document, “A Call for Intergenerational Justice: A Christian Proposal for the American Debt Crisis.” Continue Reading...

March 10, 2011

Deficit Denial, American-Style

A new commentary from Acton Research Director Samuel Gregg. Sign up here to get the latest opinion pieces delivered to your email inbox on Wednesday with the free weekly Acton News & Commentary. Continue Reading...

March 07, 2011

Opposing Views: America’s Debt Crisis and ‘A Call for Intergenerational Justice’

Last week’s issuance of “A Call for Intergenerational Justice: A Christian Proposal on the American Debt Crisis” has occasioned a good bit of discussion on the topic, both here at the PowerBlog and around various other blogs and social media sites. Continue Reading...

March 04, 2011

More Thoughts on ‘A Call for Intergenerational Justice’

I posted some initial thoughts on “A Call for Intergenerational Justice: A Christian Proposal on the American Debt Crisis,” which was released by the Center for Public Justice and Evangelicals for Social Action yesterday. Continue Reading...

March 03, 2011

Intergenerational Injustice and a Question on Taxation

Jordan Ballor has already done a fine job of commenting on A Call for Intergenerational Justice, and I’m sure that others will be chiming in on the PowerBlog as well. I’d like to focus on a couple of points that stand out to me from an initial reading of the document. Continue Reading...

March 03, 2011

Initial Thoughts on ‘A Call for Intergenerational Justice’

A number of prominent evangelical leaders in America have issued a statement on the budget fights in the federal government. “A Call for Intergenerational Justice: A Christian Proposal on the American Debt Crisis,” is sponsored by the Center for Public Justice and Evangelicals for Social Action. Continue Reading...