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Politics : American Presidential Politics and foreign affairs

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To: TimF who wrote (43133)5/8/2010 5:01:24 PM
From: DuckTapeSunroof  Read Replies (1) of 71588
 
Re: [Unfortunately there is no evidence that the big 1981 tax cut enacted by Reagan did anything whatsoever to restrain spending. Federal outlays rose from 21.7% of GDP in 1980 to 23.5% in 1983, before falling back to 21.3% of GDP by the time he left office.] "So they where lower when he left office than they where in 1980, despite the general upward trend. "No evidence" would seem to be a false statement, although something like "no conclusive evidence" would still be reasonable."

A few quick points:

By that point in time Reagan had taken back well over half his original tax cuts (thus: raising revenues significantly), and.

Federal outlays (as a percent of GNP, the metric we both agree is the fairest and most useful way to measure such things) went from 21.7% of GNP to 21.3% over Reagan's two terms --- a mere statistical wobble.

However Federal outlays went from 22.1% of GDP in 1992 to 18.2% of GDP by the time Clinton left office --- a far more statistically significant reduction in the size of government, reduced from anything seen in the Reagan years, and soon *reversed** by the latter day Bush Presidency....
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