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There are no atheists in foxholes, and there are no conservatives when the pork is being passed out. But regardless, everybody believes spending raises GDP. Bu

There are no atheists in foxholes, and there are no conservatives when the pork is being passed out. But regardless, everybody believes spending raises GDP. But one side is afraid it will work too well, and will have undesirable side effects for their constituencies, and finds bashing on the grounds it doesn't work has populist appeal.

tsotha 13y ago
>There are no atheists in foxholes, and there are no conservatives when the pork is being passed out. Well, no conservative politicians. Conservative voters aren't happy about it, but we consider it better than the alternative. >But regardless, everybody believes spending raises GDP. Well, sure, spending raises GDP in the short run. Because GDP includes that spending. I can raise my personal GDP this month by running up my credit cards, too, but that's not necessarily a good thing. The "broad consensus" for Keynesianism is political in nature, not economic. The linked article is correct - you know what an economist is going to find before he starts looking based purely on his politics, and since the academy is far to the left you find lots of support for government solutions to whatever ails the economy.