...and in 2008. sadly, it might actually work: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/the-deficit-in-a-downturn-how-have-recessions-impacted-the-federal-budget/

...and in 2008. sadly, it might actually work: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/the-deficit-in-a-downturn-how-have-recessions-impacted-the-federal-budget/ https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/the-deficit-in-a-downtu... https://www.frbsf.org/research-and-insights/publications/economic-letter/2021/02/can-government-spending-help-to-escape-recessions/ https://www.frbsf.org/research-and-insights/publications/eco... The hard part is reigning that spending in during non-crash years (see the uproar over removing the temporary COVID subsidies) in a way that is not political suicide. At the Federal level, there is zero incentive to not run a deficit.