Fiscal Policy

How a change in taxes can stimulate the economy and improve the environment.

An examination of why fiscal stimulus, while terrific in theory, is unlikely to work in practice.

A look at the features required of any fiscal stimulus plan - that is, any plan to increase government spending in order to stimulate the economy.

A reader's response to the article "The Trade Deficit and Exchange Rates"[

Article answers the question "Since the U.S. Dollar is weak, shouldn't that imply we export more than we import (i.e., foreigners get a good exchange rate making US goods relatively cheap). So why does the U.S. have an enormous trade deficit?"

An essay which looks at international debt crises in the Third World.

An article examining who the 10 Nobel Prize winnining economists supporting Kerry and the 6 Nobel Prize winning economists supporting Bush are.

Definition and use of the term "Contractionary Fiscal Policy"

Definition and use of the term "Fiscalist View".

Definition and use of the term "Pre-Fisc"

Definition and use of the term "Balanced Budget".

Definition and use of the term "national debt".

There are a lot of government policies, like airline bailouts, that from an economic perspective don't make any sense at all. Politicians have an incentive to keep the economy strong as incumbents are reelected at a much higher rate during booms than busts. So why do so many government policies make such little economic sense?

A look at the growth of government services in the United States.