Roy Blunt on Government Debt

Posted by admin on Thursday, July 17, 2014

Roy Blunt Money Quotation saying when borrowed funds are repaid quickly, they can be re-classified. Roy Blunt said:
 

 

“It’s not long-term debt if the money is immediately paid back” — Roy Blunt

 

 

This quote from Roy Blunt suggests that debt incurred to fund government activities should not be considered long-term debt if the money is repaid quickly. Some key points in interpreting his perspective:

• Blunt implies that borrowing to finance expenditures that are then paid off promptly does not represent “long-term debt” and the associated risks of sustainability.
• He portrays such short-term borrowing cycles as acceptable and not posing fiscal challenges if turnover is fast enough.
• However, even short-term debt adds to overall debt levels and reasonable experts debate the impacts. While intentions may be to repay quickly, economic conditions can affect timing of repayments.
• A balanced interpretation is that Blunt aims to characterize certain borrowing as lower risk, but the best analysis considers this perspective alongside other reasonable positions in ongoing discussions around optimizing fiscal responsibility given changing economic realities that impact repayment schedules.

Multiple viewpoints have merit in such complex, long-term policy debates involving weighing evidence and trade-offs.