With a $37T debt would the gov. still be able to use fiscal policy to rescue the economy in an AI driven or COVID like crash?
u/Far-Cheesecake1996 ·
Reddit — r/stocks
· February 24, 2026 at 00:40
· ⬆ 38 pts
· 💬 122 comments
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AI Summary
Summary
The post questions the US government's ability to use fiscal policy (e.g., stimulus packages) to rescue the economy during a future major crisis, such as an AI-driven mass unemployment event or another pandemic.
The author's central thesis is that the high national debt ($37T) severely constrains the government's capacity for effective intervention, potentially leading to a prolonged and severe economic downturn if a major crash occurs.
Quality assessment: This is high-level macroeconomic speculation and a thought experiment, not well-researched due diligence. It poses a hypothetical question without providing data or analysis to support a specific investment thesis.
Score38
Comments122
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Let’s say AI is so disruptive that millions of people lose their jobs like during COVID. Would the government be able to bridge the gap or are we so in debt that we wouldn’t be able to put together a sufficient rescue package to keep the economy afloat until we came up with viable solutions.
To make matters worse, a recession or crash would already increase gov spending and reduce revenue due to more reliance on social safety net programs.
TLDR: Are we absolutely screwed if we have a big crash and the economy needs to be bailed out?