by Calculated Risk on 9/12/2010 07:59:00 PM

A few excerpts from a WSJ interview with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner: Geithner Urges Action on Economy

"[The] typical error most countries make coming out of a financial crisis is they shift too quickly to premature restraint. ... It is very important for us to avoid that mistake. If the government does nothing going forward, then the impact of policy in Washington will shift from supporting economic growth to hurting economic growth."

And on tax cuts for high income earners:

"We just don't think it would be responsible for this country, given the size of our future deficits, and given the substantial burden the middle class has been bearing over the past decade in particular, to go out and borrow $700 billion from our children so we can sustain those Bush tax cuts that only go to the wealthiest 2% of Americans."

I agree with Geithner on both points.