While falling off the “fiscal cliff” (of automatic spending cuts and tax increases if Congress fails to act) could hurt the economy, expert William Gale says the actual result, if coupled with a temporary economic stimulus, would be greater incentives to make a better long-term budget deal.

U.S. Economy
No need to panic about the budget deficit
Commentary
Podcast@ Brookings Podcast: Combine Going Over the Fiscal Cliff with a Stimulus
William G. Gale
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy,
Senior Fellow
- Economic Studies,
Director
- Retirement Security Project,
Co-Director
- Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
@WilliamGale2
July 27, 2012