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The Employment Effects of Fiscal Policy: How Costly Are ARRA Jobs?

Author

Listed:
  • F. Gerard Adams

    (University of Pennsylvania (Emeritus), Economics Department)

  • Byron Gangnes

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa, Economics Department)

Abstract

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was intended to stimulate the U.S.economy and to create jobs. But at what cost? In this paper, we discuss the range of potential benefits and costs associated with counter-cyclical fiscal policy. Benefits and costs may be social, macroeconomic, systemic, and budgetary. They may depend importantly on timing and implementation. There may be very different implications over the business cycle horizon and in the medium to long term. We use simulations of the IHS Global Insight macro-econometric model to evaluate some of these costs and benefits in the U.S. economy, looking specifically at the impact of the ARRA program and potential alternative policies.

Suggested Citation

  • F. Gerard Adams & Byron Gangnes, 2010. "The Employment Effects of Fiscal Policy: How Costly Are ARRA Jobs?," Working Papers 201026, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hai:wpaper:201026
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fiscal policy; employment; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA); econometric model simulation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E37 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes

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