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JFK and LBJ both had tax cuts as major economic policy decisions, Jimmy Carter deregulated every industry he could get his hands on, and Bill Clinton created th

JFK and LBJ both had tax cuts as major economic policy decisions, Jimmy Carter deregulated every industry he could get his hands on, and Bill Clinton created the largest and most important Free Trade agreement in our country's history. It is almost as if good economic policy requires a bit of ignorance about party lines.

hga 12y ago
Which LBJ tax cuts would those be? JFK's supply side tax cuts are well known by Republican policy wonks, after all they were a concrete inspiration and justification for Reagan's. Again, wonks know Jimmy Carter set trucking (and railroad???) and airline deregulation in motion (there's a cute picture of Teddy Kennedy in the background of the signing of one of those laws), but infamously didn't deregulate energy (initially, as I recall, part of Nixon's wage and price controls, but not ended like other sectors). It's one of the biggest things that wrecked his presidency.
- saosebastiao 12y ago
  http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1964 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1964 Don't forget Carter's deregulation of the brewing industry.
  - hga 12y ago
    And for obvious reasons (if you read the link) JFK is given credit for that tax cut. While I'm sure LJB's legendary ability to work the Congress played a part in it actually getting passed, this was clearly part of JFK's legacy, especially after his assassination three months earlier. Adding brewing to the list of 2-3 transportation deregulations does not satisfy my interpretation of "every industry he could get his hands on". There's a reason Malcolm Wallop's 1976 advertisement of a cowboy strapping a port-a-potty to a donkey behind his horse resonated long after. In retrospect it's possible Carter was a deregulator at net, certainly the regulatory things he's infamous for were, to my memory, inherited, but it would be a hard case to make. Remember the 95% complete Tellico dam and the snail darter? He also put an awful person in charge of the NHTSA, and I believe it was their insane air bag decisions that resulted in the deaths of hundreds or more short people and children.

hga 12y ago

Which LBJ tax cuts would those be? JFK's supply side tax cuts are well known by Republican policy wonks, after all they were a concrete inspiration and justification for Reagan's. Again, wonks know Jimmy Carter set trucking (and railroad???) and airline deregulation in motion (there's a cute picture of Teddy Kennedy in the background of the signing of one of those laws), but infamously didn't deregulate energy (initially, as I recall, part of Nixon's wage and price controls, but not ended like other sectors). It's one of the biggest things that wrecked his presidency.

saosebastiao 12y ago
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1964 http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1964 Don't forget Carter's deregulation of the brewing industry.
- hga 12y ago
  And for obvious reasons (if you read the link) JFK is given credit for that tax cut. While I'm sure LJB's legendary ability to work the Congress played a part in it actually getting passed, this was clearly part of JFK's legacy, especially after his assassination three months earlier. Adding brewing to the list of 2-3 transportation deregulations does not satisfy my interpretation of "every industry he could get his hands on". There's a reason Malcolm Wallop's 1976 advertisement of a cowboy strapping a port-a-potty to a donkey behind his horse resonated long after. In retrospect it's possible Carter was a deregulator at net, certainly the regulatory things he's infamous for were, to my memory, inherited, but it would be a hard case to make. Remember the 95% complete Tellico dam and the snail darter? He also put an awful person in charge of the NHTSA, and I believe it was their insane air bag decisions that resulted in the deaths of hundreds or more short people and children.