Bringing the federal debt under control will mean making tough choices, such as cutting popular programs or raising taxes. But people will only be willing to make such hard choices if they trust their leaders to act responsibly, so that their sacrifices are not wasted. To help you think through the best way to do this, we describe several different ways of attacking the problem. (Find out more about our "Choicework" discussion guides, or download the PDF version of this choicework guide).


Read More »

Perspective 1: Limit Their Choices: Put Systems in Place that Make it Harder for the Government to Spend Recklessly

According to this point of view, since we can’t always trust politicians to use good judgment, we should create rules and procedures that require them to act responsibly. In other words, the more leeway we give politicians and government bureaucrats, the more likely it is that they’ll waste the nation’s money.


Perspective in detail Pros and Cons Discuss this choicework

Perspective 2: Increase Transparency: Make it Easier to See What’s Going on so Government Watchdogs Can Do Their Job

A better way to create more trust and accountability is to make sure politicians can’t hide what they’re doing, so government “watchdogs”—like the news media, good-government organizations, and concerned citizens—can keep an eye on them and hold them accountable.


Perspective in detail Pros and Cons Discuss this choicework

Perspective 3: Remove Temptation: Change Behavior by Changing the Incentives

As things stand now, there are too many incentives to avoid making politically tough decisions or waste the nation’s finances on pet projects. If we remove the most corrupting influences and incentives from the political system, and create new incentives for responsible behavior, we can expect politicians to exercise better judgment in how they manage the nation’s finances.


Perspective in detail Pros and Cons Discuss this choicework