Bang For The Buck

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_12/021253.php

BANG FOR THE BUCK.... The Congressional Budget Office analyzed the stimulus package and found that the recovery efforts created as many as 1.6 million jobs, and raised the GDP by as many as 3.2 percentage points. But the CBO also took a closer look at what parts of the stimulus were the most effective.

Ezra Klein posted the chart (at link), and noted the results:

Leading the list is direct spending by the federal government, infrastructure aid to states and localities, other types of aid to states and localities, and transfer payments (think unemployment insurance and food stamps) to individuals. At the bottom of the list are corporate tax cuts, the new homeowner's tax credit and individual tax cuts.

Right. All of the various elements of the stimulus package did at least some good. In terms of returns on the dollar -- the proverbial bang for the buck -- government spending and aid to states did far better than cutting taxes.

This is entirely consistent with the evidence we saw before the vote on the recovery bill, so let's not forget what happened -- Republicans and conservative Dems scaled back infrastructure spending and aid to states, but kept the tax cuts.

And going forward, any additional recovery efforts will feature the exact same arguments, with the right insisting that government spending is ineffective compared to tax cuts -- reality be damned.

—Steve Benen

[Clio the Leo]

1. It's hard to adjust to a White House......

..... that tells you the truth. ;)

(actually, it's not all that hard, whoo hooo!)

[HughMoran]

2. Seeing this get unrecced

Makes me roll my eyes - why?

[Cha]

4. They show their

hand..all they have hate and don't want to listen or read about the reality of this President.

[HughMoran]

5. But this is good for everybody

I think (based on some of my threads being unrecced within 5 seconds) that perhaps we're looking at an "anti-cheerleader" vote. I'm certainly not a cheerleader (whatever that means on a Democratic site where you are expected to support Democrats), but I am aware that many here despise me for my 'pragmatic' viewpoint. Their loss - I've seen a number of phrases from my posts used on MSNBC and news based articles quoted here. Lately it's felt like somebody is specifically following my posts for talking points. :yoiks:

[Cha]

6. Yes, it's good for everybody but

the cut off their nose to spite their face crowd doesn't see it that way.

[HughMoran]

7. Check this one out...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7138151&mesg_id=7139038

:rofl:

I thought I'd seen it all before today!

[Cha]

8. Thanks, I just alerted on that

stupid m0=he4F&(k3R

[HughMoran]

9. mofo

:dunce:

[HughMoran]

10. heh

all gone

[Cha]

11. Really..I had my doubts

with all the hysteria around here.

Good:)

[Cha]

3. Better than tax cuts!

Selfish gop.

[vaberella]

12. Thanks Baby....at least something that doesn't make my blood boil. n/t