Other things equal, the reduction in the trade deficit due to fracking will reduce imported capital and put pressure on investment relative to saving and government spending relative to taxing.

FORBES: How Fracking Can Reduce the Budget Deficit

But if yields are low because of an increase in global saving relative to opportunities for investment, the central bank would need to tighten less.

ECONOMIST: What will guide the new boss of America's Federal Reserve?

Family members exhaust every life-saving intervention for an elderly relative, even when the prospects of significant life extension are minimal.

CNN: Commentary: US health costs out of control

South Korea is the big exception: households have as much debt relative to their income as Americans and their saving rate has fallen over the past decade from 18% of disposable income to only 4%.

ECONOMIST: Can Asians replace Americans as a driver of global growth?

The problem is twofold: One is that depending on how it's structured, if recipients are suddenly getting a plan that has their reimbursement rates going like this, but health care costs are still going up like that, then over time the way we're saving money is essentially by capping what they're getting relative to their costs.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Takes Questions at GOP House Issues Conference | The White House