There seems to be a good deal of angst in the economic community about the value and appropriateness of an economic stimulus like the bill the Bush administration and House Democrats agreed on this week. Take a special look at Andrew Samwick, Bruce Bartlett, Paul Krugman, and Greg Mankiw for some representative comments.

But here's the key: the bill being considered is intended to stimulate voting behavior at least as much as the economy. Political considerations rather than economic theory is the primary motivation.