Declining Fiscal Democracy: Understanding the “Pig in the Python”

The Expert View ·
Featuring Eugene Steuerle

Published on: February 10th, 2020 • Duration: 31 minutes

C. Eugene "Gene" Steuerle, co-founder of Urban Brookings Tax Policy Center, has studied the intersection of demographics, the economy, and public policy for 30 years. He joins Real Vision to break down the demographic trends that have converged to create "a decline in fiscal democracy." Steuerle talks about the impact of the baby-boomer "pig in the python" and reveals how that phenomena has forced the government to focus spending on health care, social security, and interest payments. Finally, he explains why millennials will demand "generational democracy" and the potential political implications of the intergenerational conflict to come. Filmed on February 4, 2020 in Washington, D.C.