99. The Hidden Structural Trap Behind Our $40 Trillion Dollar Debt – Eugene Steuerle

Why Taxing the Rich and Cutting Spending Still Will Not Fix the Deficit When headlines broke that the U.S. national debt officially crossed $40 trillion—and the Treasury announced bond buybacks—the media reaction was fast and full of alarm. But are we actually on the verge of a fiscal cliff, or are headline-grabbing moves like the "Treasury Twist" just financial noise hiding a much larger structural problem?  In this episode, host David Beckemeyer steps past the standard "cut entitlements" versus "tax the rich" shouting match to examine the underlying mechanical design of the U.S. budget. Joining the show is economist Dr. Eugene Steuerle—former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, co-founder of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, and author of Abandoned.  Together, they break down why structural deficits persist across administrations, how Nordic models actually fund universal spending, and how automatic budget growth is taking fiscal choice away from future generations.  Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David Support the show Show Notes: https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email [email protected]. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.com HOTLINE: 925-552-7885 Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it. Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload Also check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites. Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C. Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen. Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...