America’s fiscal health and economic strength are closely linked. Putting our nation on a sustainable fiscal path creates a positive environment for economic growth. With a strong fiscal foundation, the nation will have increased access to capital, more resources for future public and private investments, improved consumer and business confidence, and a stronger safety net.
However, if we fail to act, the opposite is also true. If our long-term fiscal challenges remain unaddressed, our economic environment weakens as confidence suffers, access to capital is reduced, interest costs crowd out key investments in our future and the conditions for growth deteriorate — all harming the prospects for the next generation.
Below is a selection of charts providing an overview of the U.S. economic outlook.
Attribution Policy: If you would like to use any of these charts, please credit the "Peter G. Peterson Foundation" and provide the pgpf.org website URL and hyperlink. If you would like to include one of our charts in a commercial product, please email copyright@pgpf.org.
Further Reading
Experts Identify Lessons from History for America Today
A distinguished group of experts to evaluate America’s current fiscal landscape with an historical perspective.
Healthcare Spending Will Be One-Fifth of the Economy Within a Decade
Healthcare spending in the United States is rising, with serious implications for the federal budget.
Four Reasons Why a Government Shutdown Is Harmful
It may be counterintuitive, but government shutdowns are expensive. They are also bad for the economy.