Summary
A podcast by Planet Money explores ideas on how to manage the United States' national debt by increasing economic growth. Three economists discuss various government policies and studies to determine if faster economic growth can help reduce the national debt.
Key Facts
- The U.S. national debt was $36 trillion as of December 2024.
- The podcast involves economists analyzing how government actions can boost economic growth.
- One study found that a 1% cut in the corporate income tax rate increases GDP by 0.6% after one year.
- Research shows that each dollar spent by the government on Medicaid returns $1.78 in the long run.
- Government spending on non-defense research and development (R&D) returns about $1.50 to $2 per dollar invested.
- Accelerating high-skilled immigration in the U.S. could increase productivity growth by up to 0.05 percentage points over decades.
- The Department of Energy projects that investing in the electric grid could save customers $1.80 for each dollar spent.
