Thought leader Mary Meeker presents an insightful look at the federal government as if it were a business. This short essay summarizes her 400+ page report (see PDF link), with an in-depth examination of USA Inc.’s income statement and balance sheet. By focusing on financial data and verifiable facts, it helps inform the debate about America’s economic crisis and outlook. I like that this report involved a variety of individuals from across party lines: Al Gore, Meg Whitman, Peter Orszag, George P. Shultz, Paul Volcker, Michael Bloomberg, etc. Very informative.

This story ignores humanity and discusses finance. Both must be considered if we are to find a good solution.

This long article is tied to an even longer power point. It does a good job of presenting the budget issues for America. However, the story and power point fail to include discussion of how to accomplish needed changes or include issues that need to be overcome. One such issue is cost of health care. Regardless of personal positions one issue in that area that needs to be overcome is the need to address beginning of life and end of life costs. Nobody said the effort to balance the nation’s budget would be easy.

Ms. Meeker is a securities analyst and states that she is not an expert in government finance nor policy. This is a thought experiment, one that Ms. Meeker spent a great deal of effort researching, with facts and historical context. Ms. Meeker analyzes the U.S.A. as if it were a corporation, rather than a sovereign entity. Her conclusions are straightforward and not surprising. They cut across policy lines. Many would not be easy to implement in practice, as she acknowledges. Yet some would be.