It is in fairly common usage, but I'm with Jean on it, and I think it goes something like this:
To grow vegetables, or a beard, or a replacement tail is to take a thing from its origins to its fruition. But Reagan didn't start from scratch when he (allegedly) furthered or expanded the economy's growth. An analogy might be the difference between raising and fostering. Reagan (supposedly) fostered the economy's growth, I raised my green beans.
But that is no more than a stab at it. I am not deeply wedded to this formulation.
David R.
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