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The Significance of Federal Taxes as Automatic Stabilizers

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Author Info
Alan J. Auerbach
Daniel Feenberg

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Abstract

Using the TAXSIM model for the period 1962-95, we consider the federal tax system's impact as an automatic stabilizer. Despite the many changes in the tax system, there has been relatively little change in its role as an automatic stabilizer. We estimate that individual federal taxes offset perhaps as much as 8 percent of initial shocks to GDP. We also suggest that the progressive income tax may help to stabilize output via its effect on the supply of labor, an additional effect that may even be of similar magnitude to the more traditional path of stabilization through aggregate demand.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by American Economic Association in its journal Journal of Economic Perspectives.

Volume (Year): 14 (2000)
Issue (Month): 3 (Summer)
Pages: 37-56
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Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:14:y:2000:i:3:p:37-56

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  6. Hilary Williamson Hoynes, 1999. "The Employment, Earnings, and Income of Less Skilled Workers Over the Business Cycle," JCPR Working Papers 85, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research. [Downloadable!]
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  9. James P. Ziliak & Thomas J. Kniesner, 1999. "Estimating Life Cycle Labor Supply Tax Effects," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(2), pages 326-359, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Christina D. Romer & David H. Romer, 1994. "What Ends Recessions?," NBER Working Papers 4765, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Jason G. Cummins & Kevin A. Hassett & Stephen D. Oliner, 1999. "Investment behavior, observable expectations, and internal funds," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 1999-27, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
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  12. repec:fth:harver:1435 is not listed on IDEAS
  13. Alan J. Auerbach & Kevin Hassett, 1991. "Corporate Savings and Shareholder Consumption," NBER Working Papers 2994, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  23. Casey B. Mulligan, 1998. "Substitution over Time: Another Look at Life Cycle Labor Supply," NBER Working Papers 6585, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  24. Hilary Hoynes, 1999. "The Employment, Earnings, and Income of Less Skilled Workers Over the Business Cycle," NBER Working Papers 7188, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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