I doubt you can compare the American economy of 1850 to that of today... the reason we needed lower taxes before 1920 is because we had a fairly underdeveloped

I doubt you can compare the American economy of 1850 to that of today... the reason we needed lower taxes before 1920 is because we had a fairly underdeveloped economy. You’re right that it’s best to present the full history, but then you also have to provide context. The period before 1920s was the Gilded Age (then Progressive Era) which was when America was industrializing. I think by “recover to normal over time” you’re making a claim that you’d prefer the economics of 1910 America over 1970 America, which is where we disagree. Sure, if you’re making a founding fathers style argument, it makes sense, but I doubt anyone really wants to go back to a world where America doesn’t have an interstate highway system or Medicare.