stimulus

Definition

Government money injected into the economy during crises, based on the economic theory that the best way to fix problems is to print cash and hope for the best. It's designed to stimulate spending and growth, though recipients often prefer to save it or pay down debt, completely missing the point. Politicians love stimulus packages because they get to look generous with other people's money while economists argue about whether it actually works.

Example Usage

Congress passed a $2 trillion stimulus package, which economists would spend the next decade debating whether it stimulated anything besides the deficit.

Source: Common economic terminology

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