Re: “Where’s the Big Idea?” Demand. Given that unemployment benefits, one of the most unpopular of governmental programs and, therefore, one of the most scrutinized, returns $1.6 in economic activity per $1 in outlay (numbers per GAO) the group to focus on becomes obvious, the poor. This return on investment turns a $500 billion program into a $800 billion actual stimulus, the money is immediately spent and bubbles-up into the other segments of society. Will this ever happen? No, the poor are unorganized, politically, and unlikely to be heard with other moneyed interests queuing ahead. The reason present policies will continue to fail is that they are primarily political calculations concerned with gathering favor by supporting middle-class jobs and voters. No political party will come out with ANY program for the poor because, well, they’re dirty, politically but the irony of Keynesian theory is that it works best for the least of our brothers. You’d think the Evangelicals would be all over that. Maybe would should work up a Book of Keynes for the Bible: then they’d have to study it. Btw, couldn’t get a real American analyst, Erin, had to settle for a Tory (David From)? LOVE YOUR SHOW!
