US federal transfers to individuals are large, countercyclical, vary geographically, and are often credited for helping stabilize regional economies. This paper estimates the short-run effects of these transfers using plausibly exogenous regional variation in temporary stimulus packages and...

This paper analyses the mechanics of simple interest rate rules for two models----one with backward and the other with forward looking, rational expectations. The approach is to consider policy when faced with a specific task reducing inflation in a stabilizing manner. The two models are: (i)...