Burman comments on rising national debt in Christian Science Monitor

April 8, 2021

Christian Science Monitor

Leonard Burman

Public Administration & International Affairs Department

Center for Policy Research

Economic Policy

Infrastructure

United States

Christian Science Monitor

Leonard Burman

National debt is surging yet economists are less worried about it. One reason is that interest rates have fallen to near record lows, making the cost of borrowing virtually free. That could prove to be an advantage, especially if the money is spent on investments, such as infrastructure, that can grow the economy in the future. "Investing in better roads, bridges, dams, electrical infrastructure, all of that stuff, clearly, those investments pay returns over a long period of time," says Leonard Burman, Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics. "Investing in better education, if you can do it, pays returns over the course of decades." Read more in the Christian Science Monitor article, "National debt is surging higher. Here’s why worry is heading lower."