https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Wanniski#The_Two_Santa_Claus_Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Wanniski#The_Two_Santa_Cl... They've known for a long

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Wanniski#The_Two_Santa_Claus_Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_Wanniski#The_Two_Santa_Cl... They've known for a long time that they can't cut spending. It will be terribly unpopular. So they cut taxes (especially on the rich) which keeps tax pressure on everyone else, but gets them wealthy donors. Then the opposition has three choices: play chicken with the national debt, cut spending, or raise taxes. Usually raising the national debt is the easiest option.