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Is hurricane damage bad for the economy?

Is hurricane damage bad for the economy?

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All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
Irene is a job creator. They will need electricians, morticians, etc., maybe even a few musicians to help brighten up their day. In the end, the only thing that will not be needed are politicians. Then again, when are they ever needed? Politicians are like that uninvited guest that shows up at every party wanting free beer and munchies to go along with it and, at the same time, try to tell you how you should be living your life.

Edit: You wouldn't consider getting a bunch of your friends together and go stand on a bridge somewhere waving your hands in desperation at anything that flies by with signs saying, "Save us President Obama" would you? 😛

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Originally posted by whodey
Irene is a job creator. They will need electricians, morticians, etc., maybe even a few musicians to help brighten up their day. In the end, the only thing that will not be needed are politicians. Then again, when are they ever needed? Politicians are like that uninvited guest that shows up at every party wanting free beer and munchies to go along with ...[text shortened]... eration at anything that flies by with signs saying, "Save us President Obama" would you? 😛
No doubt the glaziers do well. 😉

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
how does it affect our insurance premiums though? Does a disaster just mean we see premiums go up somewhere? I have little doubt that law suits against hospitals and Drs. sooner or later are passed on to Joe public, certainly the insurers don't suffer the blow?

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Originally posted by sh76
Is hurricane damage bad for the economy?
Yes.

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
This hurricane is not going to change the economy much at all.

What we really need (so says the GOP) is big tax breaks for Billionare's, Millionare's, Oil Companies, and Tobacco companies. Because after all...companies are people too!!😵😵😵

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
No doubt if unemployment goes down in areas affected by the hurricane, the president will take credit for it. "And I, Barack Obama, president of these United States brought down a great storm upon the lands and said, Let my people work."

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Originally posted by dryhump
No doubt if unemployment goes down in areas affected by the hurricane, the president will take credit for it. "And I, Barack Obama, president of these United States brought down a great storm upon the lands and said, Let my people work."
It causes money to be spent and gives us nothing new. It is completely wasteful. Just about any other spending product should gives us something in return. Here, at best, you'd try to put your self in the same situation you once were in.

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
Efficient? You call that an efficient stimulus package? Destruction of wealth is not efficient!

You have been listening to Paul Krugman too much.
Krugman entertains a military buildup to counter an alien invasion from outer space for nothing. That is inefficient stimulus as well. Infrastructure spending is efficient unless you destroy it afterwards. Krugman probably knows the difference but he is silly for digressing into aliens and such.

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Originally posted by bill718
This hurricane is not going to change the economy much at all.

What we really need (so says the GOP) is big tax breaks for Billionare's, Millionare's, Oil Companies, and Tobacco companies. Because after all...companies are people too!!😵😵😵
But how is it different from a stmulus?

You have billions of tax payer dollars going out to help pay for the devestation as people are hired to clean up the mess. In fact, Wall Steet is up today. So what does that tell ya?

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
Look up "Broken Window Fallacy". Originally expounded by Fredrick Bastiate.

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Originally posted by sh76
All this media talk about the potentially crippling economic blows from Irene...

Presumably, every penny insurers and governments pay for remediation are pumped back into the economy at a fairly base level for cleanup, re-construction, etc.

Seems almost like a very efficient stimulus package.

I know it would no doubt add to government debt, but since when has that mattered to the US goverment?
It depends on the extent and how much it interferes with the flow of commerce and for how long.

And there won't be a stimulus effect for the repairs. Cantor won't stand for it.

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Originally posted by normbenign
Look up "Broken Window Fallacy". Originally expounded by Fredrick Bastiate.
That fallacy assumes that the money will be spent one way or another. If the disaster gets money out of banks and into circulation it's a little different.


Originally posted by AThousandYoung
That fallacy assumes that the money will be spent one way or another. If the disaster gets money out of banks and into circulation it's a little different.
Actually, it will help to pull money out of insurance companies, who made record profits while most of the country languished in 2009. And construction is a key base of the economy. So it will help, which is why Republicans will fight relief funds tooth and nail unless they can be matched with cuts - the goal being to avoid a net gain of money into the economy until after 2012.