Block content from this web address 1. Recall that the shaded areas in the FRED graph indicate recessions. How did current receipts (from taxation) change during the 2008-2009 recession? How did current expenditures change during the 2008-2009 recession? 2. What is the purpose of decreasing government receipts (from taxation) during a recession? 3. What is the purpose of increasing government expenditures during a recession?.