A thought experiment on how to fix the national debt problem

Planet Money discusses the US national debt and explores potential solutions beyond the typical approaches of raising taxes or cutting spending. The hosts, Jeff Guo and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi, consult with a "Budget Geek Squad"—economists Glenn Hubbard, Doug Elmendorf, and Zach Liskow—to investigate how government policies could stimulate economic growth to outpace the debt. They examine tax cuts, social safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps, government-funded research and development, immigration policies, infrastructure development (particularly the electrical grid), and housing policies, assessing their potential impact on economic growth. While acknowledging the limits of these policies and the eventual need for difficult budgetary choices, the podcast emphasizes the importance of considering the broader economic picture when addressing the national debt.