Boston globe: Washington wants to jump-start the US economy by taking money from Jane and giving it to Joan - there's no such free lunch

For the complete report from The Boston Globe click on this link

US Economy: Washington wants to jump-start the US economy by taking money from Jane and giving it to Joan - there's no such free lunch

In other words, before any money can be injected into the economy by means of rebate checks or other benefits, it must first be extracted from the economy by means of borrowing (or taxation). The $800 you get from the Government and spend at Home Depot or SeaWorld is $800 not available to the bond buyer who lent Uncle Sam the money for your rebate check. No one can boost their own prosperity by withdrawing money from a downtown ATM and depositing it in an suburb ATM. If Washington really has the power to restore vim and verve to the US economy by simply moving money around, why not do so all the time? Why should there ever be an economic slowdown if government spending can prevent it? Here's why: Because the business cycle hasn't been repealed. Because booms are still followed by busts. Because politicians and policymakers cannot make a $14 trillion economy jump through hoops, particularly not by going even more deeply into debt.