Spending to Save

When faced with attacks against increased public spending, progressives might consider arguing more forcefully, when the facts fit, that public spending often saves money--both public and private dollars. To ideologues on the right, that may seem counterintuitive or irrelevant, but for most of the rest of us, a persuasive case might be made to support critical public investments.

One area where a clear need for public expenditures exists is on suicide prevention. In the domestic arena, more and more evidence suggests that increased public health expenditures lead to lower suicide rates. When considering the value of a life and the pecuniary costs involved in a tragedy such as a suicide, it turns out that public health interventions can be more than merely cost-effective: they can generate significant savings.