Auerbach slides

28
Long-Term Fiscal Issues Alan J. Auerbach University of California, Berkeley June, 2012

description

Auerbach describes the dial endgame for the USA without discussing solutions but does adequately drive the IMF policy view home. keep buying bonds or suffer the yields (and the pain) of Spain. We have a more constructive view. [email protected]

Transcript of Auerbach slides

Page 1: Auerbach slides

Long-Term Fiscal Issues

Alan J. Auerbach

University of California, Berkeley

June, 2012

Page 2: Auerbach slides

Outline

• For the United States:– How did we get here?– Where are we headed over the next ten years? – Where are we headed in the long term?

• Other countries’ long-run prospects

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Fiscal Year

US Federal Budget Deficit (Percent of Potential GDP)

January 2001 projections

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Fiscal Year

US Federal Budget Deficit (Percent of Potential GDP)

January 2001 projections

Legislative Revenue

Legislative Outlays

Legislative Interest

Economic

Page 5: Auerbach slides

What Happened?

Three Phases:1. Economic downturn (2001) and slow recovery

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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US Federal Budget Deficit (Percent of Potential GDP)

January 2001 projections

Legislative Revenue

Legislative Outlays

Legislative Interest

Economic

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What Happened?

Three Phases:1. Economic downturn (2001) and slow recovery

2. Policy throughout the 2000s • Tax cuts• Defense buildup• Medicare Part D

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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Fiscal Year

US Federal Budget Deficit (Percent of Potential GDP)

January 2001 projections

Legislative Revenue

Legislative Outlays

Legislative Interest

Economic

Page 9: Auerbach slides

What Happened?

Three Phases:1. Economic downturn (2001) and slow recovery

2. Policy throughout the 2000s • Tax cuts• Defense buildup• Medicare Part D

3. The Great Recession• Increased deficits in 2009-11 due to weak economy

plus ARRA, TARP, etc.

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Per

cent

Fiscal Year

US Federal Budget Deficit (Percent of Potential GDP)

January 2001 projections

Legislative Revenue

Legislative Outlays

Legislative Interest

Economic

Page 11: Auerbach slides

Where Are We Headed? The Next Ten Years

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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

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Alternative Deficit Projections, 2012-2022

CBO Baseline

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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

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Alternative Deficit Projections, 2012-2022

CBO Baseline

Extended Policy

Obama Budget

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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

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Alternative Debt Projections, 2012-2022

Extended Policy

CBO Baseline

Obama Budget

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Where Are We Headed?The Long Term

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2012 2022 2032 2042 2052 2062 2072 2082

Per

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GD

P

Year

Revenues and Non-Interest Expenditures

Optimistic Scenario, Revenues

Optimistic Scenario, Expenditures

Pessimistic Scenario, Revenues

Pessimistic Scenario, Expenditures

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2012 2022 2032 2042 2052 2062 2072 2082

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Projections of the National Debt

Optimistic Scenario

Pessimistic Scenario

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The Fiscal Gap

• The immediate and permanent tax increase or spending cut (or combination) that would keep the debt/GDP ratio at the same level in the long term as it is now

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Baseline Fiscal Gap Assumptions

• Start with one of three scenarios through 2022• After 2022, most categories of spending and

revenues stay constant as a share of GDP • Social Security estimates derived from

Trustees report• Medicaid derived from CBO estimates• Medicare derived from one of three sources

(Medicare Trustees, CMS Actuary, CBO)

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Fiscal Gaps(Percent of GDP)

CBO Baseline Obama Budget Extended Policy

Health Spending Assumptions

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Medicare Trustees 2.18 3.12 3.22 4.10 5.21 6.21

CMS Actuary 3.56 5.38 4.58 6.34 6.64 8.56

CBO Alternative 3.67 5.97 4.69 6.91 6.76 9.16

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Fiscal Gaps(Percent of GDP)

CBO Baseline Obama Budget Extended Policy

Health Spending Assumptions

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Medicare Trustees 2.18 3.12 3.22 4.10 5.21 6.21

CMS Actuary 3.56 5.38 4.58 6.34 6.64 8.56

CBO Alternative 3.67 5.97 4.69 6.91 6.76 9.16

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Fiscal Gaps(Percent of GDP)

CBO Baseline Obama Budget Extended Policy

Health Spending Assumptions

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Through 2089 Permanent

Medicare Trustees 2.18 3.12 3.22 4.10 5.21 6.21

CMS Actuary 3.56 5.38 4.58 6.34 6.64 8.56

CBO Alternative 3.67 5.97 4.69 6.91 6.76 9.16

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The Outlook Elsewhere

• In most developed countries, also large fiscal gaps

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PFiscal Gaps through 2060

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Share of U.S. FederalNon-Interest Spending, 1972-2022

Social Security + Medical

Discretionary

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The Nature of a Long-Term Solution

• For the United States and other countries, old-age entitlement programs are the key problem

• But tax increases are almost certainly in the picture as well, since the overall changes required will be very large

• A particular challenge, given– Current economic weakness around the world– Need for long planning horizon to restructure

spending