Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the federal government is going to have to spend a "significant" amount of money if it is going to get the country out of its current economic troubles -- despite rapidly ballooning federal deficits, historic unemployment, and the hundreds of billions already spent.
"One thing we've learned from past recessions, is that you've just got to spend money to get out of it," he said, in response to questions from CNSNews.com.
Baucus said there wasn't any formula behind that spending, saying that it would be up to Congress to determine the best course for economic recovery. "We just have to use our best judgment (because) there's no science to this," the senator explained. "We just have to spend some significant money."
| 'Best judgment' and 'spending money' just don't go together in the Congress ... |
Baucus, speaking to reporters Wednesday about financial issues for 2009, said that government needs to spend big not only to create jobs, but to let the public know it cares. "You start to send the psychological signal that Congress doesn't care," Baucus said. "What are people going to do then, if they think Congress doesn't care?"
| Get on with their lives? ... |
Baucus then paradoxically called for budgetary reform, saying that there has to be a federal plan to start paying back the national debt. The Montana Democrat refused to elaborate on the details of a proposal despite being pressed by CNSNews.com |
