"Pop" Goes the National Debt

Dirk Mateer (), Wayne Geerling () and Stefani Milovanska-Farrington ()
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Dirk Mateer: University of Texas at Austin
Wayne Geerling: University of Texas at Austin
Stefani Milovanska-Farrington: The University of Tampa

No 17640, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper provides a novel way for instructors to teach about the perils of a large National Debt, which is currently $36 trillion. We provide a detailed lesson plan that utilizes balloons to illustrate the possible paths a society can take to address this issue. The lesson plan consists of an introduction, images and data that can be used to spur discussion and reflection, how to utilize the balloons to help students understand three different debt scenarios, and a series of follow-up questions and answers to help debrief the activity.

Keywords: budget; debt; debt-to-GDP ratio; deficits; fiscal policy; national debt; revenue; spending (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A20 A21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 15 pages
Date: 2025-01
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