Termites in the Walls

During the most recent Facing the Future, Concord Coalition Executive Director Robert L. Bixby and National Field Director Phil Smith joined me to discuss Concord’s updated election-issue guide for voters and presidential candidates, the Congressional Budget Office June budget review and the state of the federal debt limit.

Bixby said the election-issue guide is focused on one question for candidates, “if you are elected president, what will you do to address the national debt?”

“Then we provide some information about key issues that will affect the debt in the next presidential term,” he said. “It doesn’t take any particular partisan point of view or ideological point of view; it just says here are the facts, here are the issues.”

Smith said an appropriate analogy for the nation’s fiscal challenges is the wolf at the door versus termites in the wall. We do a good job uniting as a nation when there is a wolf at the door, but we seem to struggle to get rid of termites in our walls. He said our debt and deficit issues, and their drivers, are more like termites.

“The house looks great … but when you put your ears up to the walls, you can hear the termites munching away.” Smith said. “Over time, termites can do just as much destruction as the wolf at the door could; so we need to pay close attention.”

Hear more on “Facing the Future.” I host the program each week on WKXL, NHTalkRadio.com (N.H.), and it is also available via podcast. Join me and my guests as we discuss issues relating to national fiscal policy with budget experts, industry leaders, elected officials and candidates for public office. Past broadcasts are available here. You can now subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play or through RSS.