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.
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, [email protected]
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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
