September 9, 2016

Concord Coalition Urges Clinton, Trump to Explain How They Would Put Federal Budget on a More Responsible Course

WASHINGTON -- In an open letter to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, The Concord Coalition today urged the presidential candidates to detail their proposals to put the federal government’s borrowing, spending and tax policies on a more sustainable course.

“Non-partisan experts agree that our current path is not sustainable,” Concord said. “Projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) make it very clear that an aging population and rising health care costs are putting increasing pressure on the federal budget, threatening to squeeze out other national priorities.”

The letter is part of Concord’s Lookout Campaign to raise public awareness of the nation’s fiscal challenges and to urge candidates for federal office this year to address those challenges.

The letter highlights three key issues: the federal debt, Social Security and Medicare.

“Debt held by the public now stands at 77 percent of the economy (GDP), roughly twice the average over the past 50 years,” Concord tells the presidential candidates. “It is projected to rise to 86 percent by 2026 and 141 percent by 2046. Do you see this as a problem? If so, what do you intend to do about it?”

The letter asks similar questions about Social Security and Medicare, which according to their trustees are projected to eventually run out of money -- and are already putting substantial pressure on the rest of the federal budget.

“We hope that by addressing these questions, you will help provide voters with a more complete picture of how you plan to deal with our nation’s fundamental fiscal challenges if you become the next president,” Concord says. “We believe that is essential information for American voters to have by the time they cast their ballots in November.”

The full text of the letter can be found at An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump . 

Media Contact: Steve Winn (703) 254-7828, swinn@concordcoalition.org


The Concord Coalition is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility. Since 1992, Concord has worked to educate the public about the causes and consequences of the federal deficit and debt, and to develop realistic solutions for sustainable budgets. For more fiscal news and analysis, visit concordcoalition.org and follow us on Twitter: @ConcordC

An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

September 9, 2016
Dear Secretary Clinton and Mr. Trump,

The Concord Coalition respectfully asks both of you to detail what you intend to recommend that Congress do to put our Federal government’s borrowing, spending and tax policies on a sustainable course.  Nonpartisan experts agree that our current path is not sustainable.

Projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) make it very clear that an aging population and rising health care costs are putting increasing pressure on the federal budget, threatening to squeeze out other national priorities. As part of The Concord Coalition's 2016 Lookout Campaign, we are urging both of you to provide the American people with specific spending and tax proposals that nonpartisan experts say would place the budget on a sustainable path.

In that regard, here are some pertinent questions we believe you should address:

1.  Debt held by the public now stands at 77 percent of the economy (GDP), roughly twice the average over the past 50 years. It is projected to rise to 86 percent by 2026 and 141 percent by 2046. Do you see this as a problem? If so, what do you intend to do about it?

2.  Social Security has been running annual cash shortfalls since 2010 and the program’s trustees have projected that the trust fund will run out of money by 2034. Do you see this as a problem?  If so, what do you intend to do about it?

3.  Medicare’s trustees have projected that the program’s Hospital Insurance trust fund (Part A) will run out of money by 2028.  Meanwhile, the trustees warn that the growing cost of Medicare’s Supplemental Insurance trust funds (Parts B and Part D) will put increasing pressure on the rest of the budget. Do you see this as a problem? If so, what do you intend to do about it?

We hope that by addressing these questions, you will help provide voters with a more complete picture of how you plan to deal with our nation’s fundamental fiscal challenges if you become the next president.  We believe that is essential information for American voters to have by the time they cast their ballots in November.

Thank you for your willingness to serve in a time of such great challenges and opportunities.

Respectfully yours,

The Concord Coalition