TIME Magazine: High Debt Threatens the U.S. Economy
The difficulty U.S. Congress has had agreeing on spending for this year and avoiding a government shutdown is an indication of just how hard it will be to deal with our longer term debt crisis. Our rising debt burden is a problem we must confront in order to preserve our nation’s ability to address the ...
Aspen Economic Strategy Group Welcomes New Members
Aspen Economic Strategy Group Welcomes New Members Leading policymakers, business executives, and academics join bipartisan group dedicated to promoting evidence-based solutions to America’s economic challenges. WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 12, 2025 – The Aspen Economic Strategy Group (AESG) today announced that eleven new members have joined the bipartisan group of distinguished leaders and thinkers who are ...
AESG Insights: The Economics of Falling Birth Rates
THE ECONOMICS OF DECLINING US FERTILITY Recent proposals such as “baby bonuses” and expansions to the Child Tax Credit have cast increased attention on the issue of declining birth rates in the US. The AESG and its director Melissa S. Kearney have repeatedly highlighted the significant social and economic consequences of the country’s falling birth ...
The Environmental Benefits of Low Fertility and Population Decline are Overstated
The discussion of impending population decline is often dismissed or minimized by arguments that downplay its urgency – or even welcome this development – because of the proposed environmental benefits. In The Environmental Benefits of Low Fertility and Population Decline are Overstated, Kevin Kuruc addresses this common misconception. He argues that welcoming depopulation on environmental ...
Low Fertility and Fiscal Sustainability: The Effects of Past and Future Fertility Rates on the US Federal Budget Outlook
Low fertility and population aging have shaped the US federal government’s spending and revenue patterns, contributing significantly to the large and growing federal debt, which the CBO projects will grow from 98 percent of GDP in 2024 to over 150 percent by 2055. In Low Fertility and Fiscal Sustainability: The Effects of Past and Future ...
Implications of Low Fertility and Declining Populations for the Operations of US State and Local Governments
Roughly half of US counties lost population between 2010 and 2020, a trend driven overwhelmingly by declining fertility rather than changes in migration. Looking ahead, the Congressional Budget Office forecasts that the number of births will first exceed the number of deaths nationwide in 2033. Even under optimistic immigration assumptions, U.S. population growth will stagnate ...
Testimony before the Joint Economic Committee: “Keeping Our Promises: Labor Inflows, Maintaining Competitiveness, and Supporting an Aging Population”
On Wednesday, March 18th, AESG Policy Director Luke Pardue testified at the Congressional Joint Economic Committee’s hearing, “Keeping Our Promises: Labor Inflows, Maintaining Competitiveness, and Supporting an Aging Population.” His written testimony is below. Watch the complete hearing here and see more information about the hearing here. Chairman Schweikert, Ranking Member Hassan, and other members ...
Introduction: Building a More Resilient US Economy
The post-pandemic US economy features a strong labor market but also persistent inflation, rising levels of debt, and acute educational challenges. These issues are compounded by ongoing, systemic difficulties: domestic and global, economic and political. This policy volume considers these topics and others, with a thematic focus on building a more resilient US economy. The ...
Book: Building a More Resilient US Economy
The Aspen Economic Strategy Group’s sixth annual policy volume, Building a More Resilient US Economy, considers some of the most pressing economic challenges facing the United States. The book’s publication comes as the US faces historically high levels of debt that threaten the resiliency of the nation’s economy, including the ability to invest in key ...