The size of the U.S. debt is the single most important concern today, according to our recent survey of over 1,000 UBS clients and prospective clients—a concern made all the more relevant by the recent debt ceiling crisis. President Bush said he was pleased to see the issue addressed.
President Clinton stated that while the agreement is not as substantive as it could have been, "It's a good thing. And we're better off not defaulting."
Although the first stage of the debt ceiling crisis has been addressed, questions for investors remain. An exclusive report from the UBS Office of the Chief Investment Strategist examined the implications of potential downgrades from credit rating agencies and the outlook for economic growth for the balance of 2011 and in 2012.
Both presidents highlighted the need for significant changes to Social Security. President Bush noted that by fixing Social Security, we would begin to see a psychological shift in how seriously our citizens viewed the nation's long-term liabilities. President Clinton reiterated the urgent need to do so now—and not in 20 years' time.
The two presidents expressed that rising healthcare costs were an issue. "It's killing this country to keep increasing healthcare costs at three times the rate of inflation," said President Clinton. Both presidents maintained, however, that healthcare costs could be reduced if customers were allowed to shop for insurance across states, citing that increased choice among consumers leads to more competitive pricing.
To discuss how U.S. debt may impact your own investments, connect with your UBS Financial Advisor or find a UBS Financial Advisor. | |  
President William J. Clinton
42nd President of the United States
Understand what the debt ceiling resolution means for your investments in our exclusive new report: Debt ceiling deal: The end of the beginning
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