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View Full Version : IMF says government spending will not grow the economy



scarymary
06-23-2010, 10:45 AM
Economist John Taylor has a short summary of the finding (http://wallstreetpit.com/29004-the-administration-and-the-imf-on-the-multiplier):
The paper is quite technical, but the bottom line summary is that a one percent increase in government purchases (as a share of GDP) increases GDP by a maximum of 0.7 percent and then fades out rapidly. This means that government spending crowds out other components of GDP (investment, consumption, net exports) immediately and by a large amount.
Now, remember that Obama and his fellow liberals tell us that government spending spurs job growth and economic activity. But, per the IMF, in order to grow the economy .7%, the government must spend an amount equivalent to 1% of the economy. Meaning that government “stimulus” efforts grow government faster than they grow the economy.
Hardly a sustainable economic policy. In fact, a policy that grows government faster than the economy could actually be said to be moving us backward by destroying economic activity.
What’s more, the economic impact is largely meaningless. Which is exactly what we critics of the “stimulus” spending spree have been saying all along. “Stimulus” from government spending only lasts as long as the spending does. In order to keep the stimulus, such as it is, in place we must keep spending. Given that our national government is already bankrupt, that’s hardly something we can do.
Finally, this government spending crowds out private investment and economic activity of the sort that creates prosperity, and sustainable economic growth.
This report from the IMF destroys, completely, the basis for Obama’s economic strategy. In short, Obama’s approach to economic policy doesn’t work.


http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/international-monetary-fund-concludes-that-government-spending-is-poor-economic-stimulus/

I believe this is something that many of us here have been saying for quite some time. But I'm sure this report will fall upon deaf ears under the current administration, which in my opinion is, intentional.......you know because we simply must save the planet from the evil air-polluting corporations. This man in the White House disgust me to no end, and I can hardly wait until the voters show this idiot the door.

scarymary
06-23-2010, 10:57 AM
Also in other related news Peter Orszag is stepping down. I know there are circumstances surrounding his departure, but I really don't believe that they are related to his decision to do so. I am of the opinion that this man did his job well, one of few in this administration who had any shred of credibility.


Peter Orszag brought to the White House sterling credentials as a deficit foe. But he will leave next month with the U.S. debt stuck above $1 trillion.

Mr. Orszag's decision to resign as director of the Office of Management and Budget comes as the Obama administration—and the Democratic Party—begin to confront disagreements between those who believe near-term deficit reduction poses too much risk to the fragile economic recovery and those, such as Mr. Orszag, who say the deficit itself may be a more profound economic threat.
Behind that economic argument is a political one: The steps that might be taken to reduce red ink—such as tax increases or spending cuts to Medicare and other popular programs—will be politically perilous, especially given the magnitude needed to make any real impact.
Republicans have added pressure to the debate among Democrats by making the deficit a centerpiece of their campaign to regain power in Washington.
There is "a huge battle going on in the White House" between officials who want to focus on deficit reduction and those who want to be sure no steps are taken to further damage the economy, some with an eye on the November midterm elections, said Robert Reischauer, a former Congressional Budget Office director and head of the Urban Institute, a centrist think tank.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704853404575322890069951592.html?m od=rss_whats_news_us&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fxml%2Frss%2F3_7011+%28W SJ.com%3A+What%27s+News+US%29