From: bunker@physun.physics.mcmaster.ca (Alex Bunker)
Subject: Re: Derailing the Reagan Revolution, part 2: Seven more years?
Organization: Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 18:58:37 GMT

In article <1992Aug21.172001.26553@oakhill.sps.mot.com> pjm@anegada.sps.mot.com (Patrick J. McGuinness) writes:
>In article <1992Aug20.221458.7673@mcshub.dcss.mcmaster.ca> bunker@physun.physics.mcmaster.ca (Alex Bunker) writes:
>>In article <1992Aug20.205057.16540@ncar.ucar.edu> gary@colossus.cgd.ucar.edu (Gary Strand) writes:
>>>da> Dean Alaska (dingo in boulder)
>>>b > Brett (Stupendous Man)
>>>
>>>b > Nothing seems able to make politicians understand that higher tax rates
>>>b > do not automatically translate into more money.
>>>
>>>da> Maybe the fact that lower taxes during Reagan's wonderful 7 years of
>>>da> economic growth led to the highest deficits we've had till then has
>>>da> something to do with it.
>>>
>>>  Actually, government revenues increased under Reagan too. It's just that
>>>  spending increased even faster. The Laffer curve is not bogus.
>>>--
>>>Gary Strand                      Opinions stated herein are mine alone and are
>>>strandwg@ncar.ucar.edu            not representative of NCAR, UCAR, or the NSF
>>
>>You meean , No I am rolling on the floor now you take the PHTTT! chortle
>>chuckle LAFFER CURVE SERIOUSLY!!!!  
>
>Answer this question:
>	Do tax rates affect taxpayers' behavior?
>	
>>Supply side economics?
>
>	"We reduced tax rates and we increased the tax base. ..
>We've reduced tax rates and strengthened enforcement, and now we are
>getting more revenue out of lower tax rates."
>	-President Carlos Salinas, of Mexico
>	quoted in Forbes magazine, Aug 17, 1992
>
>The top tax rate was reduced from 60% to 35%. The capital gains tax rate
>in Mexico is currently zero.
>
>More revenues out of lower tax rates?  Yes, it happens. Believe it.
>
>[much contentless abuse deleted]
>>ALEX
>>(the social-democratic secular humanist)
>
>As Peter, Paul and Mary said: "When will they ever learn?"
>---
>Pat,  bleeding heart supply-side conservative 

OK I should clarify Yes of course QUALITATIVELY the laffer curve
is correct if you tax too high you grind the economy to a halt
but quantitatively it is NONSENSE. the laffer peak is somewhere between 
Germanys tax rate and that of Sweden(the only country I know of to have
actually gone over the REAL laffer peak) and WELL above the US rate
What do I have to learn? My views come from having travelled widely
and seen which countries are most to my liking and the people seem happiest
and best off. It turned out that the thing these countries had in
common was social democratic governments
I accept all the shortfalls of social democracy but I have seen it to make
a country the most to my liking. No naivety is involved
just a different set of values and priorities from you.
I have said this N times about my social democratic views
but I keep getting back the same "Oh you are such a naive dreamer
drivel. Sorry my views are based 
ENTIRELY on what I like and do not like in the real world.

Alex
(the understanding all the failings of but still
social democratic secular humanist)

Xref: sparky talk.politics.misc:41063 alt.politics.elections:11174 alt.politics.bush:2382 alt.politics.clinton:2471