ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly “Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl” economic update podcast. In Episode 35 (8:01 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks about just how bad the U.S. national debt is and shares some insights on the recent stimulus packages.

• What percentage of the U.S. GDP is national debt?
• What are zombie companies and why are they part of the problem?
• 80 percent of the U.S. federal budget is consumed by five items.
• How did recent stimulus packages factor into the national debt situation?
• Was the 2021 stimulus package a good thing or not so good?
• What can be done to correct this problem?
• What happens if another recession occurs?