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L.6 · BEGINNER · 2 MIN

Fiscal Policy: Government Spending, Taxes, and Deficits

Fiscal policy is the government's use of spending and taxation to influence the economy. While the Fed controls monetary policy, Congress controls fiscal policy.

Quiz · 5 questions ↓

Stimulus versus austerity: the fiscal toolkit

ToolExpansionary (Stimulus)Contractionary (Austerity)
SpendingIncrease (infrastructure, defense, transfers)Decrease (budget cuts)
TaxesCut taxes (more disposable income)Raise taxes (reduce deficits)
Effect on GDPBoosts growth short-termSlows growth short-term
Effect on deficitsIncreases deficitReduces deficit

When fiscal and monetary policy pull together or apart

Fiscal and monetary policy can work together or against each other. Stimulus spending with rate hikes creates a tug-of-war. Stimulus with rate cuts is rocket fuel for the economy.

Check how fiscal policy is positioned today

Check FRED data for the federal deficit and government spending trends. How is fiscal policy positioned right now?

Why fiscal policy is slow to act but hits hard

Fiscal policy moves slowly (legislation takes months) but hits hard. Major tax reforms, infrastructure bills, and stimulus packages can reshape entire sectors overnight.

What stimulus does when the economy is already full

The government cuts taxes AND raises spending simultaneously (expansionary fiscal policy) while the economy is already at full employment. What is the most likely consequence?
Check your understanding

Sit with the ideas.

Congress passes a $500 billion infrastructure bill during a period of low unemployment and 3% GDP growth. The Fed responds by raising rates. What is the most likely net effect on markets?

Why:
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Other lessons in this course.

  1. 01Inflation: What It Is and Why It Matters
  2. 02The Fed and Interest Rates: How Policy Moves Markets
  3. 03The Yield Curve, in Plain English
  4. 04GDP: What the Economy Actually Produces
  5. 05The Business Cycle: Timing the Economic Seasons
  6. 06Fiscal Policy: Government Spending, Taxes, and Deficits— reading now
  7. 07The Fed’s Advanced Toolkit: QE, QT, and Forward Guidance
  8. 08Trade, Exchange Rates, and the Dollar
  9. 09Financial Crises: How Economies Break Down
  10. 10How the Federal Reserve Actually Works
  11. 11How Banks Create Money (and Why Reserves No Longer Bind)
  12. 12Reading a Bank Income Statement
  13. 13Bank Capital, Tier 1 Ratios, and Stress Tests
  14. 14Yield Curve Shape and Bank Net Interest Margin
  15. 15How a Modern Bank Run Unfolds
  16. 16National Income Identities: Why S = I and Y = C + I + G + NX
  17. 17Current Account = Capital Account: Trade Deficits as Inflows
  18. 18Fiscal Multipliers: Why $1 of Spending Isn't $1 of GDP
  19. 19Exchange Rate Regimes and the Impossible Trinity
  20. 20Capital Flows and Sudden Stops: Why EM Crises Look Alike
  21. 21The COT Report: Reading Speculative Positioning
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