Peter G. Peterson Economic Forum
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum brings together thought leaders shaping the future of our nation for in-depth conversations on America’s most pressing issues.
Past Events
A Conversation on the Long-Term Budget Outlook with CBO Director Phillip Swagel
Phillip Swagel Director, Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
As the Federal Reserve takes necessary steps to battle high inflation, there are significant implications for our federal budget outlook. CBO’s May report showed that interest costs will add $8.1 trillion to deficits over the next decade. The 2022 Long-Term Budget Outlook, which was released on July 27, provided additional details about spending, revenue, interest, debt and deficits over the next 30 years. CBO Director Phillip Swagel joined Peter G. Peterson Foundation CEO Michael Peterson for a discussion of this new report a day after its release.
America's Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go From Here? — Session II
James Poterba President and CEO, National Bureau of Economic Research
Diane Swonk Chief Economist, Grant Thornton
The Peterson Foundation’s latest initiative, “America’s Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go from Here?” convened twelve leading experts with diverse views from across the political spectrum to share their perspectives on the opportunities, challenges, and way forward for America’s economic and fiscal future. As we began a new year, two of the initiative’s authors — James Poterba (National Bureau of Economic Research) and Diane Swonk (Grant Thornton) — discussed the state of the economic recovery and how we can create a sustainable fiscal outlook that puts America on a path to economic growth and shared prosperity.
America's Fiscal and Economic Outlook: Where Do We Go From Here? — Session I
William Gale Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Brookings Institution and co-director, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Sita Slavov Professor of Public Policy, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University
With our economy in recovery, our debt rising unsustainably, and our nation still grappling with a devastating pandemic, America faces many critical questions for its future. Where do we go from here? To help illuminate and improve the understanding of this critical moment, the Peterson Foundation has convened twelve leading experts with diverse views from across the political spectrum to share their views on the answer to this fundamental question. As we launched this new resource, two of the initiative’s authors joined us to share their creative and thoughtful solutions to help guide citizens and policymakers through this uniquely challenging time.
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session III
Lanhee J. Chen, David and Diane Steffy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies, Hoover Institution
Austan D. Goolsbee, Robert P. Gwinn Professor of Economics, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
The third session in the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic Pandemic analyzed the unprecedented effects that this crisis has had on our economy, against the backdrop of the 2020 election. As policymakers and candidates debate proposals to help the nation recover from a severe health and economic crisis, this bipartisan conversation assessed how Washington has handled the crisis thus far – and what more needs to be done to address our mounting fiscal and economic challenges. What are the key indicators and milestones that reveal not only the extent of the damage, but also where the recovery is taking hold? What policy proposals are being put forward by the campaigns to address the still uncertain landscape?
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session II
Michelle A. Williams, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvey V. Fineberg, President, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
COVID-19 is a pandemic that has exposed a range of shortcomings that exist in the U.S. healthcare sector, from a lack of preparedness, to limited supplies, to inequities in impact and access. At the same time, as we have confronted and adjusted to the situation, certain opportunities to improve the performance of our healthcare system have been revealed.
The second session in the Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic explored the U.S. healthcare system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and what we have learned from this crisis to help us improve delivery in the future. Where did we lack preparedness? What are the structural and systemic failures that create disparities and health inequities among different groups of Americans? Can learnings from our response help better prepare our nation for the next pandemic, and also have lasting benefits?
Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic — Session I
Phillip Swagel, Director, Congressional Budget Office
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation Economic Forum’s series Restoring Our Economy Post-Pandemic launched with Foundation CEO Michael Peterson in a conversation with Swagel about CBO’s approach in assessing a complex fiscal and economic landscape, including the organization’s analysis of the CARES Act and other legislative responses to the crisis.