Candidate Agenda Fiscal Snapshot: The Cost of Clinton’s and Sanders’ Debate Proposals

Over the course of 2016 race for the White House, NTU Foundation is tracking the spending-related proposals made by the candidates in each debate – highlighting their potential costs or savings to taxpayers. Below is a summary of the policy changes offered by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and the net cost of their proposed agendas. The candidates repeated some reforms in multiple debates; the duplicate items are excluded.

Among Clinton’s proposals, NTUF verified cost estimates for one savings proposal and thirteen increases. On net, these policies would boost spending by an average of $135.1 billion per year. Clinton also offered an additional sixteen policies whose costs could not be determined due to lack of specificity.

Sanders made twenty-two spending-related proposals, of which NTUF verified cost estimates for one savings and ten increases. Sanders’ agenda would hike spending by $1.75 trillion per year. NTUF was unable to determine the costs of the 11 remaining policies changes.