Do You Think You Could Solve the Budget Crisis?

Next 10 creates a fun budget tool that allows you to try to reduce the federal budget deficit.

The Federal Budget Challenge is a fun learning exercise that converts the user into a policymaker working to reduce the federal budget deficit. The goal is to reduce the amount of annual deficits over the next 10 years. The starting point is the CBO’s estimate for these deficits under current law, which assumes that Congress and The President pass no legislation over the 10-year time period. Most of the policy descriptions and cost estimates are from CBO’s “Budget Options” publications. Other options stem from Concord Coalition estimates based on ideas and bills considered by Congress.

It is a great exercise as you learn a lot about a number of options Congress is considering to reduce the national deficit. It is also an extremely challenging exercise because it forces you to think about what policies are important to you and what concessions you are willing to make to benefit overall society. In the end, I was able to reduce the deficit by $4.7 trillion! And finished with a $2.3 trillion deficit.

Do you think you can beat my reduction?

Try your hand here!

The Federal Budget Challenge was created by Next 10, a California based organization that is focused on innovation and the intersection between economy, the environment, and quality of life issues.