Web Letters: The Math on Government Spending

By Daniel Carol

March 10, 2008

Write a Web letter about this article.

What's a Web Letter?

Web Letters are continuously published e-mails from real people, signed with their real names. No registration is required. Each article page on The Nation includes a Web Letters link.

Read the best Web Letters on this page.

We're committed to publishing your comments as they are received. We place a red star () on the best submissions and may edit your e-mail for length or content. Your e-mail address will not be published or shared with any third party without your consent.

If you prefer, you may submit a letter to the print edition only.

We look forward to hearing from you.

  • Although I applaud anyone attempting to put in writing some sort of mathematical calculations that show the return on certain types of government spending (and tax hikes, for that matter), I do not feel that impact assessments are the right way to inform the public or change the political dialogue on the subject. One need only look at this Administration's budgetary projections, for example. Or better yet, testimony in 2002 and 2003 regarding paying for a potential war in Iraq. Unfortunately, numerical projections like that can easily be manipulated to support completely baseless theories showing some sort of desired return on an investment. Despite the fact that there is no evidence to support it, I'm sure millions of Americans still believe that tax cuts pay for themselves and do so because of continual misstatements of fact by conservative pundits and politicians. Nevertheless, it really is nice to see this topic addressed in any meaningful way.

    Benjamin Hayes

    Arlington, VA

    03/11/2008 @ 3:41pm


  • There is a tendency in this magazine to make simple things complicated. Privatizing government services is a bad idea because they drive up the cost of government, and they are not efficient! A weapons system that doesn't work is a bad idea for the taxpayer, the country it doesn't protect and the soldier who has bad equipment! A bridge that doesn't go anywhere is a bad idea. Maintaining our infrastructure is a good idea! Travel is safer, and products can get to their markets! A single-payer health plan is a good idea, because we can have a healthy and relatively disease-free population. Social Security and Medicare are very good ideas! How are your stocks and 401Ks doing in this bubble economy? Would you rather have a government-guaranteed social safety net, or be fully dependent on Wall Street for your retirement and healthcare? Good programs work! Bad programs do not work! It is therefore logical to get rid of bad programs, and keep or enact good programs! This is not brain surgery!

    Pervis J. Casey

    Riverside, CA

    03/11/2008 @ 1:12pm


Advertisement
Advertisement

Blogs

» The Beat

Feingold's Outline for a Constitutional Presidency | In a letter to Obama, Constitution subcommittee chair seeks a commitment to end executive excess.
John Nichols

» State of Change

Mukasey, Elliott Abrams Get Last-Minute Bush Appointments | Abusing the transition process to take care of aides, friends and supporters
John Nichols

» Capitolism

Yes to Special Elections for Senators | Remember the 17th amendment?
Christopher Hayes

» The Dreyfuss Report

Panetta? Ummmmm... Well..... | Could Obama have made a weirder choice for CIA director? Here's why Panetta is doomed.
Robert Dreyfuss

» Act Now!

Allow Media into Gaza | Israel is encouraging abuses by preventing foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip.
Peter Rothberg

» Editor's Cut

A Trillion Dollar Recovery | We don't need a stimulus, we need a recovery. And that means investing $1 trillion over the next two years.
Katrina vanden Heuvel

» The Notion

Hard Times Without Studs | One of Terkel’s former book editors considers a Studs-less world.
Tom Engelhardt

» And Another Thing

Bill Ayers Whitewashes History, Again | The Weathermen were not just a bunch of idealistic young people.
Katha Pollitt