Ezra Klein: Republicans don't oppose stimulus when it fits their policy agenda

[flpoljunkie]

Republicans don't oppose stimulus when it fits their policy agenda

It's worth recalling that Republicans didn't always mistrust stimulus. They didn't even mistrust deficit-financed stimulus (not that there are many other kinds). Back when they were selling the Bush tax cuts, the original argument was that the economy was great and the government was running a surplus and you should get your money back. But then the economy tanked when the tech bubble burst. No problem! “Because the economy is slowing down, I believe it is vital that Congress pass a pro-growth tax cut," said Dick Armey. We're all Keynesians when convenient.

Tax cuts tilted toward the rich do stimulate the economy, of course. But they don't do it very well. According to Mark Zandi's numbers (pdf), you get 32 cents of stimulus per dollar spent on the Bush tax cuts. That's because tax cuts that tilt towards the rich boost how much money they save, not how much they spend. Compare that with state and local aid, which give you a $1.41 of stimulus for each dollar spent.

By Ezra Klein
June 18, 2010; 5:00 PM ET

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/republicans_dont_oppose_stimul.html

[NC_Nurse]

1. Why don't most Americans seem to tire of these clowns and

their blatant hypocrisy and protection of the rich and the corporate? It's SO f*cking obvious!!!!

Do people really not see it STILL?

[jaxx]

2. He just called them a pack of hypocrites.

I'm sending this to the repubs from IL in the house.....it'll fit them to a T.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Send them this 'Bang for the Stimulus Buck' Stimulus chart, too.

Link from Ezra Klein posting: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/research_desk_whats_a_dollar_o.html

[jaxx]

4. Thanks!

[doc03]

5. In Ohio the Rethugs are raising hell about

the cost of the signs identifying Stimulus projects. This morning I passed two signs announcing non stimulus construction projects were your tax dollars at work and it states how much is Federal and how much is State money. They have been posting those signs as long as I can remember but suddenly "Stimulus" projects can't be identified, it is wasting taxpayers money.