Brian Riedl, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and resident debts and deficits wonk, joins Jonah to discuss raising taxes on the middle class, balancing the budget with weed, the extinction of fiscally conservative Republicans, and the impact of abolishing the IRS.

Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Richard Hanania discuss the financial future of the US, with a focus on entitlements. They explore the projected fund shortages of Social Security and Medicare, the potential consequences of borrowing money indefinitely, and the lack of seriousness in fiscal policy. The speakers highlight the challenges of raising the payroll tax limit, the inefficiency of Twitter, and the ongoing debt ceiling negotiations.

Budget expert Brian Riedl discusses the alarming increase of national debt under Trump and Biden, projecting debt to exceed GDP. They address the inefficiencies in Congress budgeting, contrast spending patterns of Democrats and Republicans, and explore the impact of deficits on economic growth. The conversation dives into historical budget impacts of past presidents, the challenges of shaping public opinion on deficits, and the urgency of reforming entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.