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How Much Debt is Too Much? Every year we seem to be reaching our Debt Ceiling and Congress is debating what to do about it. Would we raise the Debt Limit? Would we risk shutting down the federal government? How much Fiscal Policy is appropriate, exactly how much should the Federal Government mess with the economy?

There are many Myths about the Federal Deficit and the National Debt. Write some of these myths

 

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Yusra Anees
Yusra AneesLv10
28 Sep 2019

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Related questions

Big banks urge Ottawa to spend $20-billion in rapid stimulus

"Two of Canada's big banks want the federal government to pump $20-billion into an economic stimulus for a fast jolt to the flagging economy. Bank of Nova Scotia urged Ottawa to spend that much by mid-2017. Such a measure, the bank said, would equal 1 percent of gross domestic product and would play into its new economic forecast for GDP growth of 1.3 percent this year and 2.5 percent next. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce called for $20-billion in the government's first year, saying the pledges on the table just aren't enough. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indeed promised to spend billions in infrastructure stimulus. But, beyond the recent campaign pledges, there have been no details on the final amount, the targets, and the timeline. And remember, the fiscal outlook has changed rapidly, with the Liberals now forecasting a deficit of $18-billion even without their promised spending. Canadians will get the details when Finance Minister Bill Morneau unveils his budget on March 22. While Scotiabank and CIBC are the first to have specific calls, other bank economists have said the further stimulus would be welcome, and that the government certainly has the fiscal room to accommodate it. Scotiabank painted a weak economic picture for 2016, particularly for the oil-shocked province of Alberta, and a national unemployment rate that will top 7 per cent this year and next. It projected the economy of Alberta, which had been the country's economic engine until the oil route, will contract by a further 1.9 percent this year, with a jobless rate of 7.5 percent. Our Canadian forecast incorporates our recommendation for the federal fiscal stimulus of $20-billion, equivalent to 1 per cent of GDP, implemented during the second of 2016 and the first half of 2017, said Aron Gampel, Scotiabank's deputy chief economist. "This stimulus would be over and above the deficit resulting from weaker economic conditions, estimated for fiscal 2016-17 at $18-billion by the federal government," he added. "The stimulus should be designed to: deliver a rapid economic impact; raise Canada's economic capacity and thus our longer-term growth prospects; and, facilitate adjustments in the provinces most affected by weak commodity prices. Once the Canadian economy no longer requires policy support, targeting a declining ratio of net debt-to-GDP should resume." CIBC also weighed in on the stimulus debate today, calling for $20-billion in stimulus over two years. The Liberal pledges had been for $5-billion infrastructure and a further $5-billion in other measures in their first two years in power. But CIBC World Markets doesn't think that's enough given the country's economic troubles. "Federal stimulus under that scenario would be barely more than 0.5 percent of GDP, arguably too little to do the job, particularly with some provinces applying fiscal brakes," said CIBC's Royce Mendes and Avery Shenfeld. "We see a $20-billion stimulus program with a $40-billion deficit as being more appropriate, but given the political sensitivities, the government might show something closer to $35-billion for 2016-17, while perhaps taking on some further stimulus charged to the outgoing year." Some academics believe that in this low-interest-rate environment, what we need is a strong blast of fiscal stimulus to drive employment and growth. They argue that we should reject fiscal austerity and embrace public investment. Indeed, that has been the primary economic platform for the Liberal party, and for some, the reason for them winning a majority in the last election."

(a) The IMF "It is Mostly Fiscal" appears to be what Trudeau and his economic team have bought into. Explain why further fiscal austerity could be particularly painful for the Canadian economy, and how deficit spending may lower the government debt to GDP ratio. Be sure to illustrate using the IS-LM and the AD-AS frameworks.

(b) Discuss why Canadian banks are particularly concerned that the government fiscal stimulus plan may not be enough.

(c) Discuss what are some of the problems with using expansionary monetary policy in an environment of low interest rates. That is, describe the problem of a "liquidity trap."

In a speech in 2017, Fed Chair Janet Yellen described the long-run federal funds rate that is consistent with achieving the Fed's mandate of high employment and price stability as the "neutral rate," which she estimates to be about 3 percent. Yellen noted that: "Waiting too long to begin moving toward the neutral rate could risk a nasty surprise down the road long dash either too much inflation, financial instability, or both. In that scenario, we could be forced to raise interest rates rapidly, which in turn could push the economy into a new recession."

Source: Janet Yellen, "The Goals of Monetary Policy and How We Pursue Them," Speech at the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco, California, January 18, 2017.

Why is it potentially a problem for the Fed to "wait too long" to raise its target for the federal funds rate? Can't the Fed just wait until inflation increases and begin to slowly increase the target at that time?

A. Monetary policy works with a lag that can be up to 18 months.

B. Prices change slowly due to menu costs.

C. Legislation takes time to implement.

D. Consumers are irrational.

Why might interest rates that are too low lead to financial instability?

A. Interest rates that are too low could result in higher unemployment.

B. Rates that are too low could lead to speculative bubbles in stocks and other financial assets.

C. Low-interest rates could lead to deflation.

D. Rates that are too low could lead to a situation of hyperinflation.

Why might the Fed rapidly increasing its target for the federal funds rate push the economy into recession?

A. In this situation, increasing the target for the federal funds rate increases aggregate demand by increasing investment.

B.A rapidly increasing federal funds rate target would decrease employment by lowering wages.

C.The Fed rapidly increasing its federal funds' rate target increases unemployment by increasing net exports.

D.Increasing the target for the federal funds rate decreases GDP by reducing consumption.

You hear on the nightly news that the president has vowed to decrease the nation's debt. Both the government and private citizens will have to buckle down and learn to do without, he says.

In order to reduce its debt, a nation must:

A. run lower deficits.
B. decrease tax rates.
C. run lower surpluses.
D. increase in government spending.

Debt reduction will result in:

A. more public works projects, higher transfer payments, and more money available for households to spend.
B. fewer public works projects, higher transfer payments, and more money available for households to spend.
C. more public works projects, lower transfer payments, and less money available for households to spend.
D. fewer public works projects, lower transfer payments, and less money available for households to spend.

A friend of yours looks at the state of the U.S. debt in 2011 and tells you, Since the debt is so high, we must be running an incredibly large deficit every year. Your friend's analysis is:

A. not valid, because the debt is always changing even when deficits are the same.
B. not valid, because the debt can be high even when the deficit for an individual year is small.
C. valid, because the debt is always changing even when deficits are the same.
D. valid, because the public debt is the sum of all deficits and surpluses run by the government over time and can be high even when the deficit for an individual year is small.

Assume that the government in some nations intended to respond to low employment via fiscal policy.

a. What type of policy would this require?

A. A contractionary fiscal policy designed to decrease the aggregate demand curve.
B. An expansionary fiscal policy designed to decrease the aggregate demand curve.
C. An expansionary fiscal policy designed to increase the aggregate demand curve.
D. A contractionary fiscal policy designed to increase the aggregate demand curve.



b. Assume that this policy ended up having an undesirable outcome. How could this happen in terms of formulation and implementation lags?

A. This could happen if the implementation lag exceeded the formulation lag.
B. This could happen if the formulation lag exceeded the implementation lag.
C. This could happen if the formulation lag and the implementation lag exceeded the expansion.
D. This could happen if the formulation lag and the implementation lag exceeded the recession.

 

Econo Nation started 2008 with no national budget debt or surplus. By the end of 2008, it had a budget surplus of $286 million; in 2009, it had a budget deficit of $-425 million; in 2010, it had a budget surplus of $100 million, and the amount of its budget deficit or surplus in 2011 is unknown. If at the end of 2011 Econo Nation's national debt totalled $52 million, determine the deficit or surplus in 2011.

Instructions: Enter your answer as a whole number and include a negative sign if there is a deficit.

Period Deficit (-) or surplus (+)
Beginning of 2008 $0
End of 2008 $286 million
2009 $-425 million
2010 $100 million
End of 2011 _______ million

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