Economy grew 3.5 percent in third quarter

[MannyIsGod]

This begs the question IMO, but I see what you mean.

Personally I don't believe the s ching is very strong and I would have liked a lot better but its what we have to deal with.

I know it always sounds like I'm championing the stimulus and that's not because I feel its a great piece of legislation. I have many issues with it but when I look at the political reality of things then I understand we were unlikely to get anything better.

I also believe that doing nothing would have been disastrous and that is reinforced when I see how much of an effect the anemic stimulus package has already had. I imagine the situation without that help and I really worry considering the level of growth is extremely low as it is.

[MannyIsGod]

It wasn't my aim to. I have to live with myself. Golden rule and all that. Courteousness really isn't worth the name if you only extend it to people who you think deserve it.

Don't worry, I know your actions are not motivated in that manner.

[Wild Cobra]

Yeah but what that article doesn't point out is that the stimulus will be injecting similar amounts into the coming quarters. Sure, auto sales won't be as high in the fourth quarter but the stimulus package will be injecting money elsewhere.

Do you have any confidence that the stimulous money will be used for the right things? I most certainly don't.

You don't bail out losers. Especially big losers. What good is "trickle-down bailouts" anyway?

Want to help the economy, then do things that actually help. Reduce or eliminate business taxes and corporate gain taxes. Let the dollar slowly drop so imports become more expensive and outsourcing becomes less attractive. The only way to help the economy is to make it profitable to have production here again.

To be clear, I'm not in the camp (does it even exsist?) that says we're out of the woods yet. I'm not sure we'll see a retraction in the fourth Q, however. I do believe stimulus is going to be a major factor in any growth in the short term future - however.

The stimulous cannot do , unless it is put in the control of the consumers. Even then, now that we have lost jobs in this economy, bring them back is the hard part. Eliminating taxes on producers is the key.

[Winehole23]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...clinton-years/

[Wild Cobra]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...clinton-years/

LOL... I liked this line:

As I said in my previous post, that’s well into President Palin’s second term.

[MannyIsGod]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/200...clinton-years/

Thats why he and others believe the stimulus was too small.

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...030_565596.htm

[jman3000]

Too small? or not focused enough on the right areas?

[MannyIsGod]

Too small? or not focused enough on the right areas?

Too small, and far too small. The argument is when output gap is over 2 trillion a stimulus package of under 1 trillion won't even come close to closing the gap even if you take into account some seriously generous modifiers.