Professor Mulligan förhåller sig tveksam:

Thus, even if I could be guaranteed that public spending would be well-timed in this recession AND public spending had a multiplier in previous recessions, I remain doubtful that public spending will have a multiplier in this recession. We have to accept that, these days, public spending will crowd out private spending.

Det gör även jag. Vissa tror däremot dogmatiskt, att allt löser sig om vi bara ökar budgetunderskottet.