The Pandemic’s Debt Legacy, the State of Trans-Atlantic Relations, and More

October 22, 2021

The COVID-19 recession has vividly illustrated the benefits of accumulating debt for large fiscal support programs—this spending played a critical role in avoiding even worse economic outcomes. However, as the initial recovery from the pandemic gives way to a new normal, the balance of benefits and costs of debt accumulation is increasingly tilting toward costs, argue M. Ayhan Kose, Franziska Ohnsorge, and Naotaka Sugawara.

How have pandemic travel restrictions impacted U.S.-Europe relations? After Afghanistan, will America’s NATO partners join the United States in an out-of-area military intervention? In the latest edition of the Trans-Atlantic Scorecard, Brookings Foreign Policy scholars and other experts answer these questions and assess the general state of relations.

If passed as a part of the upcoming reconciliation bill, the Automatic IRA would help roughly 55 million Americans build savings that would supplement their Social Security benefits. J. Mark Iwry and David John describe how states have implemented Automatic IRA programs without waiting for Congress and how they have increased financial security for Americans.

Help support Brookings with a donation

Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts' work.

The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often