NEWS AND OPINION:
“Reverse the Curse.”
Yes, it sounds like the name of a 1950s horror movie, perhaps — but it happens to be the main title of a wide-ranging and helpful new report from the House Budget Committee shared with Inside the Beltway.
A subtitle explains it all: “The Plan to Restore Fiscal Responsibility, Economic Freedom, and Prosperity in America.” The research is 58 pages long and reflects the finer points of the House budget resolution (fiscal years 2024-2033).
“A public debt is a public curse. So said James Madison in a letter to Henry Lee in 1790. At the time, the new American government was struggling to pay off its $75 million debt to France, a country which had its own problems dealing with an increasingly violent revolution,” the report said in an introduction.
“Today, our unprecedented, almost incomprehensible, $33 trillion national debt has eclipsed the size of our economy — the largest in the world. We have the highest debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio since World War II — and we’re in a time of relative peace and prosperity,” it said.
“According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, over the next decade our annual deficits will double, our interest payments will triple, and for every dollar we borrow, 50 cents will go just to paying interest on this debt,” the report said.
The substantial findings of this report are candid, to say the least.
“Let’s be clear: both parties have contributed to this alarming financial predicament. This isn’t a Republican problem or a Democrat problem – it’s America’s problem, and it’s a mathematical reality that will require real leadership from both sides of the aisle before it’s too late,” the report said.
The House Budget Committee is chaired by Rep. Jodey Arrington, Texas Republican. Find the committee and its vast collection of research at Budget.house.gov.
BIDEN BIRTHDAY REMINDER
President Biden turns 81 on Monday. Brace for birthday coverage in the news media that will likely include intense analysis about the political implications of the occasion.
Mr. Biden’s supporters are bound to point out that the president is an octogenarian who has proved himself — or words to that effect — in the past year. Some have already begun their coverage.
“Is Biden too old to run again? We asked people born on his exact birthday. About half of Americans born in 1942 are still alive — and many of them describe busy lives that include work,” The Wall Street Journal wrote on Sept. 12.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, is preparing Mr. Biden’s fans for the big occasion. Here’s how the committee sees it.
“President Biden’s birthday is coming up — and we want to celebrate with our best supporters,” the organization said in a public message released Thursday.
“President Biden has achieved so much during his first term, from securing historic action to combat climate change to investing in American infrastructure,” the emailed message said.
IVY-COVERED HALLS
And now we present some information from the College Fix, a publication that addresses cultural and political developments on the nation’s college campuses. Here’s one report of note:
“Nearly half of Harvard University freshmen don’t believe in God, according to survey results from the student newspaper. The Harvard Crimson recently released new results from its survey of the class of 2027. About half of freshmen completed the surveys,” wrote Matt Lamb, who is associate editor of the publication.
The findings were precise.
The Crimson survey also found that 24.6% of respondents said they were “agnostic” while 21.5% called themselves “atheist.” A majority of freshmen identified as either “not at all religious” or “not very religious.”
Meanwhile, another 23% considered themselves “somewhat religious,” while only 12% of respondents said they were “very religious,” with 2.5% identifying as “extremely religious.”
There were other findings.
“Incoming students also reported low levels of sexual activity and drug use. Nearly two-thirds, or 63.4% of respondents, said they had never had sex. For those who have had sex, 56.2% have had one sexual partner,” Mr. Lamb also reported.
“Freshmen also generally support free speech and academic freedom and are not entirely supportive of denaming buildings named after people who held views no longer considered correct today,” he said.
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
For sale: The “Stone House,” a futuristic stone and wood country house built on 30 acres along Pecan Creek, near Horseshoe Bay, Texas. Three bedrooms, two baths, open floor plan featuring glass walls, soaring ceilings with multiple wood beams, huge stone fireplace, built-in wood shelves. Chef’s kitchen with custom cabinets, formal dining area; near Horseshoe Bay Resort and Lake LBJ, “country life and resort living” combined. The property, some 25 miles northwest of Austin, is priced at $5.6 million through Har.com; enter HLARTX-166647 in the search function.
POLL DU JOUR
• 65% of U.S adults say the U.S. government has not gone far enough in responding to the theft of U.S. intellectual property by Chinese companies.
• 62% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s surveillance of the U.S.
• 58% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s policies on human rights.
• 52% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to economic competition with China.
• 49% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s role in global supply chains.
• 48% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s political influence in international institutions.
• 42% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s territorial claims in Asia.
• 41% say the U.S. has not gone far enough in responding to China’s military power.
SOURCE: A Chicago Council on Global Affairs survey of 1,622 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 7-18 and released Monday.
• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook at HarperUniverse.
