Stimulus Checks Split Economists, Even on the Left (Podcast)

A $1.9 trillion stimulus package that includes a third round of direct cash payments to American households will likely wind up on President Joe Biden’s desk within the next few weeks.

The direct payments are politically popular, but will they become a regular tool in U.S. fiscal policy, even after the pandemic? And if so, is that a good thing? Even among liberal-leaning economists, there is no consensus here.

On our weekly podcast Talking Tax, reporter Colin Wilhelm spoke with Claudia Sahm, a senior fellow at the Jain Family Institute, and Marc Goldwein, senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. One is glad to see a new round of payments, while the other thinks they are a mistake.