Fiscal Policy and Budget Reform by David Ditch
David Ditch: Younger people face higher functional burden from discharging federal debt at death
David Ditch stated that if a person’s share of the federal debt is discharged upon their death, the practical burden of repaying the debt is higher on those who are ...
Costs rise to $7.8 billion in first half of 10-year window, David Ditch warns
A 10-year cost of $4.4 billion is projected, but $7.8 billion will be incurred in the first half of that period before offsets are back-loaded. David Ditch criticized this approach, arguing that ...
David Ditch: U.S. economy struggles to support Social Security and Medicare growth
David Ditch argues that the U.S. economy cannot keep up with the fast-growing costs of programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He points out that seniors are getting more in benefits than ...
Social Security benefit cuts could reduce debt-to-GDP twice as much by 2060, David Ditch notes
David Ditch points to a comparison between two Social Security reform plans. He highlights that by 2060, a benefit-reduction approach would reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio by more than twice as much ...
David Ditch: Higher interest rates could add $1.5 trillion to U.S. deficits
David Ditch warns that higher interest rates could add $1.5 trillion to U.S. deficits over a 10-year period. He also highlights that this increase would reduce long-term GDP growth by 0.1% ...
Neglecting interest rates postponed fiscal pain after debt spike, David Ditch argues
David Ditch suggests that interest rates not rising in 2008, when debt and deficits sharply increased, was a key factor in masking the short-term costs of fiscal irresponsibility. According to ...
David Ditch: Passing CR limits chance to reduce economic deficits
David Ditch argues that approving a continuing resolution means missing an opportunity to address deficits that are negatively impacting the economy. He states that while this may offer ...
Excessive debt drives higher rates and inflation, David Ditch argues
David Ditch links rising interest rates and higher inflation to excessive debt and unsustainable deficits. He comments that responsible fiscal policies are often dismissed in Washington due to ...
David Ditch: Growth alone insufficient as U.S. benefits tied to wages
David Ditch highlights that while economic growth is necessary, it is not enough on its own. Many programs such as Social Security and welfare automatically increase when wages rise, potentially ...
U.S. debt climbs to $40 trillion amid $60 billion deficit, David Ditch warns
David Ditch highlights that the federal government’s gross debt has climbed to $40 trillion, citing a single-day deficit of $60 billion as the immediate cause. Ditch argues that unless ...
David Ditch: U.S. leaders must address rising debt and spending growth
David Ditch warns that rising U.S. debt can no longer be dismissed as a minor issue. Ditch calls for immediate action to control the rapid growth of government ...
Less support for Social Security and Medicare if payroll taxes were higher, David Ditch argues
David Ditch argues that if historical payroll taxes had been high enough to fully cover current Social Security and Medicare spending, these programs would be much less popular among the public. ...
David Ditch: Debate over payroll taxes and market returns for seniors
David Ditch questions the argument that future generations are obligated to compensate for the opportunity loss from payroll taxes, responding to claims that seniors get back more than they paid ...
FY 2026 Medicare and Medicaid spending will reveal real impacts, David Ditch notes
David Ditch points to uncertainty around the actual effects on spending for programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. He suggests these impacts will only be clear when FY 2026 spending figures are ...
David Ditch: U.S. healthcare subsidies account for nearly $7.2 trillion per year
David Ditch raises concerns about the scale of federal healthcare subsidies in the U.S., stating that dedicating approximately four weeks of GDP each year is not ideal. He points out that this ...
Federal credit programs have $51.9 billion fair-value cost to taxpayers, David Ditch notes
David Ditch highlights that federal credit programs have a fair-value cost to taxpayers of $51.9 billion, contrasting with the $15.3 billion in estimated 'savings' calculated under the FCRA ...
David Ditch: Balancing budgets over medium term with surpluses is sustainable approach
David Ditch argues that balancing the budget annually is not feasible during major emergencies or serious recessions. He advocates for a medium-term approach, with modest surpluses during strong ...
Cutting benefits for top earners is preferable to tax hikes, David Ditch argues
David Ditch suggests that policymakers should focus on reducing overly generous benefits paid to the top 10-20% of earners rather than increasing their taxes. He argues for a review of benefit ...
David Ditch: Initiative likely to save billions in pension costs over time
David Ditch observes that while the immediate savings from this initiative may be unclear due to the mechanics of appropriations, it is expected to save billions in pension costs over the long ...
Claim that Social Security boosts growth is self-refuting, David Ditch argues
David Ditch questions the validity of claims regarding Social Security's economic impact. He dismisses the idea that raising taxes and increasing Social Security payouts would lead to more ...
David Ditch: Tax increases for Social Security could hurt investment and economic growth
David Ditch questions the effectiveness of raising taxes to fund Social Security. He states that channeling more money into Social Security through higher taxes would reduce investment in the ...
