What is an economic stimulus?

Question

What is an economic stimulus?

Answer 1

Historically, it has usually been war somewhere.

Answer 2

It's a check from the federal government that you are supposed to give to local merchants in an effort to boost sales and thus economic growth.  It would be nicer if they'd just quit spending so much of our tax money on worthless things and cut those taxes.

Answer 3

It's a failed attempt by the federal government to stimulate consumer spending by giving them money. In reality, it's doing no such thing: the vast majority are either saving the money or using it to pay off existing bills.

Answer 4

the government inserting money into the economy to get it up again.

Answer 5

Not this last debacle we witnessed.  It was like taking a $20 out of your pocket and putting back $15.  The biggest economic stimulus we need right now is a push for energy independance.  $700,000,000,000 per year in reduced out of country purchases for oil would be a great stimulus.  If those dollars were being spent here it would greatly improve the economy.  Like $4.00 gasoline, Thank your favorite democrat or mislead environmentalist.  I would rather have Americans drilling on our continental shelf than Cubans, Mexicans, or Red chinese.

Answer 6

First of all if you really went to Yale you should know the answer to this...but I will play along.  An economic stimulus is some initiative that is injected into the economy to further ignite growth.  For example: charcoal fluid on charcoal would be a stimulus; charcoal can burn on its own but the fluid will make it burn faster.  So when Greenspan lowered the Fed funds rate that would be considered a stimulus.  When Bush instituted tax rebate checks that would be a stimulus.  A decrease in taxes would be an economic stimulus.  That is why more often than not when you hear about a stimulus it is in the form of a package because it is usually more than one tool used to stimulate the economy.  By the way your Econ 101 class will teach you this...in high school.

Answer 7

"Economic stimulus" means that Bush is buying your vote.  The promise of giving everybody a scummy little check was what got him a lot of votes in 2000.  

So when you think of how much your freedoms and civil liberties are worth - you just sold them for an "economic stimulus" check.  Hope you bought something useful.

Answer 8

Spending your stimulus check, and stimulating the economy.