A new definition of stimulus

The American Prospect is not exactly a bastion of conservative wisdom but today they published the attached chart which examines debt as a percentage of GDP - which is currently at 46%. The numbers should cause heartburn in many places, especially Washington. It is doubtful that our national leaders, current or future will need the Pepcid, however.

Note at the end of WWII our ratio was 110% or a bit more than a third of the current projection. That was the highest it has ever been. It is unclear from the article whether this includes the projected $850 billion package of "stimulus" that the President Elect talked about yesterday.

One other note. During the 1930s, when we had the most pronounced and consistent stimulus policies for a decade we averaged about 17% unemployment. One would think that someone would consider the effects of prior stimulus packages.