[Steely Tom]

Obviously shutting down woke education programs in far-away countries and taking away the salaries of hundreds of left-wing activists posing as "journalists" is going to cause grievous harm to our economy.

Also the funding of disappearing billions to our armed forces and those of Ukraine and who knows where else. If those money flows stops, what horrors will ensue?

[Retain Mike]

"Many analysts are warning that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts will cause a recession if government spending is aggressively reduced. However, cutting spending may “reduce” GDP but does not harm productive economic growth; it will likely strengthen it."

The contrary argument would be made by John Maynard Keynes, who's idea of a full employment surplus was consistently proven wrong.

[reed13k]

I still get annoyed that govt spending is even considered part of GDP. No issues with the sales reporting of companies getting govt contracts if they produce something, but NGOs getting govt funding should not be considered as GDP and GDP shouldn’t increase just because the govt takes on more debt and spends more.

[PGR88]

GDP measurements may have made sense 100 years ago when they were devised - when we had sound money, and overnment was smaller and was generally more limited and mission-driven

GDP measurements are now an absolute joke.

Exhibit 1A is New York City. NYC has a nominal GDP of $1.2 trillion. Greater than the Netherlands or Saudi Arabia. Approximately 70% of ostensible Russian GDP

What does NY really produce?

Certainly some of that is some manufacturing at basic level (clothes? food?) as well as tourism, entertainment, and a large Port and airport? But BY FAR, the biggest components are government and Wall Street financial trading.