The recent problem with consumer spending and debt driving the economy has been that there doesn't seem to be any long-term benefits. Most consumer debt is just that; debt used to consume things in the short term. Even things like second mortgages home equity loans have been sucking the value out of real wealth for cash infusions to the Marketplace[tm] and for what?

I think an infrastructure rebuild and expansion (a TVA-style project to bring high-speed internet access to all parts of the country and coast-to-coast high speed rail, to mane two) would be an excellent way to get things started.