Harnessing the Debt Ceiling Debate to Limit Government: What Can Be Done to Check and Balance Washington?

On March 15, the statutory debt ceiling kicks in again — after a year of unlimited federal borrowing that has brought our national debt to the edge of $20 trillion. Of course, nobody is betting on the debt ceiling being maintained, which creates a huge problem for advocates of limited government. What in practical politics can hold back the growth of the federal government when unlimited borrowing capacity creates the illusion of limitless, cost‐​free resources? The participants on this panel will attempt to answer that question with a variety of solutions, ranging from leveraging trends in existing Supreme Court precedent to restoring the moral and social underpinnings of a free society to amending the U.S. Constitution using the Compact for a Balanced Budget. Please join us for a discussion on how to limit Leviathan.