The Dwindling Deficit

[RandomGuy]

[clever bit]

Nice try, but no.

Welcoem back.

[tlongII]

ROI = (Gain from Investment - Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment

Tell me how you could possibly think this is a positive number as it relates to government spending?

[TeyshaBlue]

No, I'm waiting for you to show me how obvious it isn't.

[tlongII]

No, I'm waiting for you to show me how obvious it isn't.

I already did.

[TeyshaBlue]

lol wut?

[TeyshaBlue]

Do you have any idea how to measure ROI in increments other than $?

That's your first problem.

There's several more when you solve that one.

[TeyshaBlue]

But, it's so obvious. Should be simple.

[TeyshaBlue]

Aside from the asinine notion that govt should produce a profit. lol

[Homeland Security]

Nice try, but no.

I think he got it. The analogy is useful while arguing for more spending, but totally flawed while arguing against more spending.

[Homeland Security]

Aside from the asinine notion that govt should produce a profit. lol

I regard it as pretty straightforward that any action taken by the state should result in a net increase in the public good. Would you argue otherwise?

[TeyshaBlue]

I regard it as pretty straightforward that any action taken by the state should result in a net increase in the public good. Would you argue otherwise?

Nope. And that's the metric I was leading tlongII to.

[ChumpDumper]

What happens if carter II gives us double digit interest rates like Carter I did?

First there would have to be Republican inspired inflation for interest rates to be raised.

Has that happened?

[Homeland Security]

Nope. And that's the metric I was leading tlongII to.

Ah, but now factor in opportunity cost and things get complicated.

[TeyshaBlue]

Ah, but now factor in opportunity cost and things get complicated.

Ergo, conclusions are not exactly Obvious.

[tlongII]

Do you have any idea how to measure ROI in increments other than $?

That's your first problem.

There's several more when you solve that one.

Do you? ROI is a fiscal measure. When you understand that you will be better equipped to realize why it's obvious.

[TeyshaBlue]

Do you? ROI is a fiscal measure. When you understand that you will be better equipped to realize why it's obvious.

Not as it applies to Governmental expenditures. lol...you act as if ROI exists in a vacuum.
You don't run a govt like a corp or a household. When you understand that you will be better equipped to realize why your narrative is asinine.

[tlongII]

Not as it applies to Governmental expenditures. lol...you act as if ROI exists in a vacuum.
You don't run a govt like a corp or a household. When you understand that you will be better equipped to realize why your narrative is asinine.

You have to generate some sort of ROI eventually or you will go broke. For some reason liberals don't understand this. It is mind boggling.

[TeyshaBlue]

[tlongII]

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You have to generate some sort of ROI eventually or you will go broke. For some reason liberals don't understand this. It is mind boggling.

The economy is not a zero sum game. You understand what zero sum implies right?

[tlongII]

The economy is not a zero sum game. You understand what zero sum implies right?

Please explain.

[RandomGuy]

ROI = (Gain from Investment - Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment

Tell me how you could possibly think this is a positive number as it relates to government spending?

FWIW: I am an accountant, and understand the composition of ROI, as well as other measures of investment effectiveness.
Easy.
Public education.
Infrastructure.
Police protection.
Fire protection.
Food inspection.
Financial regulation.

The list goes on.
If you would like to cut your teeth and set aside your dogmatic assertion:

http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/fil...employment.pdf

“CBO estimates that [Unemployment Insurance payment extention] would raise output ulatively between 2010 and 2015 by $0.70 to $1.90 per dollar of total budgetary cost"

The hard part is how do you measure the economic benefits of a bridge? You have to measure each economic transaction made cheaper or possible by a bridge.

Reality is far more complex than the blind assumption that all goverment spending has a negative ROI.

[TeyshaBlue]

This isn't rocket science, tlong. But you do have to put aside your pre-existing narrative to grok this.

[RandomGuy]

I think he got it. The analogy is useful while arguing for more spending, but totally flawed while arguing against more spending.

Still not quite there.

That is really my fault though, for not fleshing out the nuances. Out of time for now, but will try to get to it later.