was reaganomics effective

The contention here is that the Reagan budget slashes will do little to alter the madness and that we are condemned to the tragicomedy, with vast consequences for world well-being, unless our collective bargaining processes are revised. [31], Federal revenue share of GDP fell from 19.6% in fiscal 1981 to 17.3% in 1984, before rising back to 18.4% by fiscal year 1989. According to tax historian Joseph Thorndike, the bills of 1982 and 1984 "constituted the biggest tax increase ever enacted during peacetime". I did not find such a claim credible, based on the available evidence. was Reagan an effective president? When you take the shackles off the private sector, it will grow. Total federal outlays averaged of 21.8% of GDP from 198188, versus the 19741980 average of 20.1% of GDP. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, "Broadcaster Delivered 'The Rest of the Story', "Reagan Policies Gave Green Light to Red Ink", "Perspectives on Productivity: America's Productivity Challenge in the 1980s", "Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product", http://lf-oll.s3.amazonaws.com/titles/1064/0145_Bk.pdf, "Table 1.3Summary of Receipts, Outlays, and Surpluses or Deficits (-) in Current Dollars, Constant (FY 2009) Dollars, and as Percentages of GDP: 19402023", "Real GDP per Employed Person in the United States (DISCONTINUED)", "Business Sector: Real Output Per Hour of All Persons", "Federal Net Outlays as Percent of GDP for United States", "Executive Order 12287 Decontrol of Crude Oil and Refined Petroleum Products", "Historical Perspective: The Windfall Profit Tax", "The Historical Lessons of Lower Tax Rates", "U.S. Federal Individual Income Tax Rates History, 19132011 (Nominal and Inflation-Adjusted Brackets)", "The Tragic Death of the Temporary Tax Cut", "Since 1980s, the Kindest of Tax Cuts for the Rich", Historical tables, Budget of the United States Government, "US Federal Deficit as Percentage of GDP by Year", "The 19901991 Recession: How Bad was the Labor Market? [77][78] Other tax bills had neutral or, in the case of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, a (~+1% of GDP) increase in revenue as a share of GDP. Reagan's position was dramatically different from the status quo. The 1986 act aimed to be revenue-neutral: while it reduced the top marginal rate, it also cleaned up the tax base by removing certain tax write-offs, preferences, and exceptions, thus raising the effective tax on activities previously specially favored by the code. Did the relaxed regulation really contribute to the savings and loans crisis? Greg Mankiw, a conservative Republican economist who served as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, wrote in 2007: I used the phrase "charlatans and cranks" in the first edition of my principles textbook to describe some of the economic advisers to Ronald Reagan, who told him that broad-based income tax cuts would have such large supply-side effects that the tax cuts would raise tax revenue. More military spending: Throughout his tenure, Reagan increased military spending by 43%. Reaganomics is a derogatory term used by George H.W. The growth experienced may have been higher through the increase in competition and advancement of outside suppliers from international countries. It states that corporate tax cuts are the best way to grow the economy. Tax cuts: Reagan slashed tax rates for the wealthiest citizens from 70% to 28%, and from 48% to 38% for corporations. Reagan cut tax rates enough tostimulate consumerdemand. By 1990, manufacturing's share of GNP exceeded the post-World War II low hit in 1982 and matched "the level of output achieved in the 1960s when American factories hummed at a feverish clip". In contrast, the number of pages being added each year increased under Ford, Carter, George H. W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama. Naysayers call it voodoo economics and supporters call it free-market economics. However, from the early 80s to the late 90s, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rose fourteen times, and forty million jobs were added to the economy. That's when inflation rates reach 10% or more. Implementation of Reaganomics 1. Historical Changes of the Target Federal Funds and Discount Rates.. Ronald Reagan, in full Ronald Wilson Reagan, (born February 6, 1911, Tampico, Illinois, U.S.died June 5, 2004, Los Angeles, California), 40th president of the United States (1981-89), noted for his conservative Republicanism, his fervent anticommunism, and his appealing personal style, characterized by a jaunty affability and folksy charm. His philosophy was, "Government is not the solution to our problem. Reagan made minor cuts to otherdiscretionary programsin his first few budgets. Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer economics subject matter expert, researcher, and educator. This was the slowest rate of growth in inflation adjusted spending since Eisenhower. [73][74] According to a 1996 report of the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress, during Reagan's two terms, and through 1993, the top 10% of taxpayers paid an increased share of income taxes (not including payroll taxes) to the Federal government, while the lowest 50% of taxpayers paid a reduced share of income tax revenue. Together, these policies came to be known as "Reaganomics." Tax cuts were effective during President Reagan's time because the highest tax rate was 70%. buying into dependency. They have a much weaker effect when tax rates are below 50%. The bulk of tax cuts were aimed at the top income earners. A detailed report on the elearning transformation from the finance experts. "Social Security Amendments of 1983: Legislative History and Summary of Provisions. [119], Federal income tax and payroll tax levels. Subscribe to our newsletter and learn something new every day. By supporting a tough anti-inflation policy, he made it possible for the Federal Reserve to restore price stability. Placing restraints on the regulation of business helped spur new growth in the American economy. It encouraged legislators to follow good accounting practices. Reagan pledged to make cuts in four areas: Reaganomics was based on theLaffer Curve. 16.86%). Total federal tax receipts increased in every Reagan year except 1982, at an annual average rate of 6.2% compared to 10.8% during the preceding eight years. During Reagan's eight year presidency, the annual deficits averaged 4.0% of GDP, compared to a 2.2% average during the preceding eight years. To address this, we can measure annual job growth percentages, comparing the beginning and ending number of jobs during their time in office to determine an annual growth rate. [9][10], Prior to the Reagan administration, the United States economy experienced a decade of high unemployment and persistently high inflation (known as stagflation). Agresti, James D. and Stephen F. Cardone (January 27, 2011). [20] Similarly, in 1976, Gerald Ford had severely criticized Reagan's proposal to turn back a large part of the Federal budget to the states. Bruce Bartlett: "It's hard to say. They concluded that many variables will affect productivity growth besides top tax rates, but the data makes clear that magical growth bonanzas cannot be had simply by slashing top tax rates. How did Reaganomics impact the U.S. economy? Reaganomics' "supply-side economics" had little effect in ending stagflation - the main things that reduced inflation were the reduction of the money supply by fed chairman Paul Volker and the natural stabilization of oil prices at an equilibrium. His victory was the result of a combination of dissatisfaction with the presidential leadership of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter in the 1970s and the growth of the New Right.This group of conservative Americans included many very wealthy financial supporters and emerged in the wake of the social . Include positive and negative effects. The trade deficit increased. Tax cuts put money in consumers' pockets, which they spend. [70] During Reagan's first term, critics noted homelessness as a visible problem in U.S. urban centers. [27][28][29][30] In 1983, Democrats Bill Bradley and Dick Gephardt had offered a proposal; in 1984 Reagan had the Treasury Department produce its own plan. Reagan cut top bracket income taxes from 70% to 28%, and he indexed each tax bracket for inflation. By 1988, Reagan had the lower half paying less than 6 percent of . . Were mortgaging our future on the backs of our kids. [59], Some commentators have asserted that over one million jobs were created in a single month September 1983. during the 1st 6 years (despite having to accept some tax increases). Roger Porter, another architect of the program . These high rates choked off economic growth. It had an inspirational effect on welfare policy across America, but Reagan would have to wait until 1996 before his basic dream, the repeal of AFDC, became a reality. Arthur Laffer's model predicts that excessive tax rates actually reduce potential tax revenues, by lowering the incentive to produce; the model also predicts that insufficient tax rates (rates below the optimum level for a given economy) lead directly to a reduction in tax revenues. I will admit that Reagan engaged in a lot of deficit spending. [89] The business sector share of GDP, measured as gross private domestic investment, declined by 0.7 percentage points under Reagan, after increasing 0.7 percentage points during the preceding eight years. Reagan increased, not decreased, import barriers. He argued that Reagan's tax cuts, combined with an emphasis on federal monetary policy, deregulation, and expansion of free trade created a sustained economic expansion, the greatest American sustained wave of prosperity ever. Ronald Reagan was the 40th U.S. President (1981-1990). The inflation rate declined from 10% in 1980 to 4% in 1988. "Council of Economic Advisers Staff List. [91] The number of federal civilian employees increased 4.2% during Reagan's eight years, compared to 6.5% during the preceding eight years. [9] Reagan described the new debt as the "greatest disappointment" of his presidency. It just shifted from domestic programs to defense. Today's conservatives prescribe Reaganomics to make America great again. Instead of funding domestic initiatives, Reaganomics focused on national defense, as Reagan believed the US was exposed to a "Window of Vulnerability" to the Soviet Union and their nuclear weapons. ", Social Security Administration. Tax cuts were effective during President Reagans time because the highest tax rate was 70%. . In simple terms, that means that the economy grew. I certainly dont believe that we need heavy handed government regulation in any sense of the term. [113] The number of pages in Federal Register is however criticized as an extremely crude measure of regulatory activity, because it can be easily manipulated (e.g. Prior presidents including Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon had expanded the government's role. In 1980 the inflation rate was 12.5%. To keep learning and advancing your career, the following CFI resources will be helpful: Become a certified Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst(FMVA) by completing CFIs online financial modeling classes! Because the government was spending far more than it was taking in, the national debt rose from about $900 billion in 1980 to a staggering $3 trillion in 1990. ", Office of Management and Budget. Reagan's economic policies, such as a reduction in government spending and regulation and cuts in taxes, resulted in an unprecedented 92-month long economic boom, from Nov. 1982 to July 1990, with expansion and growth in the GDP (+36%), employment (+20 million jobs), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (+15%). This movement produced some of the strongest supporters for Reagan's policies during his term in office. Nominal after-tax corporate profits grew at a compound annual growth rate of 3.0% during Reagan's eight years, compared to 13.0% during the preceding eight years. This act slashed estate taxes and trimmed taxes paid by business corporations by $150 billion over a five-year period. The tax cuts applied early in Reagan's first term cemented the ideology for what the next eight years of his reign would uphold. Eight years have now passed since the effective activation of the pricing power of the Organization of . [50] The inflation rate, 13.5% in 1980, fell to 4.1% in 1988, in part because the Federal Reserve increased interest rates (prime rate peaking at 20.5% in August 1981[51]). history. Reagan believed a tax cut would ultimately generate more revenue for the government. His beliefs of lower taxes and less regulation of business were two significant tentpoles of Reaganomics. What was Reaganomics? reagan significantly increased public expenditures, primarily the department of defense, which rose (in constant 2000 dollars) from $267.1 billion in 1980 (4.9% of gdp and 22.7% of public expenditure) to $393.1 billion in 1988 (5.8% of gdp and 27.3% of public expenditure); most of those years military spending was about 6% of gdp, exceeding this Pro. Reagan was able to reduce inflation from 12.5% when he took office, to 4.4% when he left. The average real hourly wage for production and nonsupervisory workers continued the decline that had begun in 1973, albeit at a slower rate, and remained below the pre-Reagan level in every Reagan year. That stimulates business growth and more hiring. Open Market Operations Archive.. . [40] This led to the U.S. moving from the world's largest international creditor to the world's largest debtor nation. All that does is strangle the private sector and slow economic growth in my opinion. Reagan's tax cuts did end the recession.. Business and employee income can't keep up with rising costs and prices. ", "Reining in the Regulators: How Does President Bush Measure Up? People will want to start businesses and they will hire. Wheres the beef? Luke M. Swomley. It is also called trickle-down economics, the idea that investing in the top echelon of society, or cutting taxes to corporations, will be of economic benefit to all, allowing corporations to make more money, spark new growth, and thus hire more employees. [117], Glenn Hubbard, who preceded Mankiw as Bush's CEA chair, also disputed the assertion that tax cuts increase tax revenues, writing in his 2003 Economic Report of the President: "Although the economy grows in response to tax reductions (because of higher consumption in the short run and improved incentives in the long run), it is unlikely to grow so much that lost tax revenue is completely recovered by the higher level of economic activity."[118]. Military spending increased by 11% per year, from $154 billion in FY 1981 to $295 billion in FY 1989. List of Excel Shortcuts The economy grewand revenues increased. The economic policy pursued by Ronald Reagan is often called "Reaganomics" or "supply-side" economics. [ 11] Pro 5 Education: 2. Federal revenue share of GDP declined from 19.6% in fiscal 1981 to 17.3% in 1984, before climbing back to 18.4% by fiscal year 1989. Haig decided to make El Salvador a "test case" of his foreign policy. But government spending wasn't lowered. Tax cuts will put more money in the consumers wallet, which they spend, and this will stimulate business growth and lead to more hiring. Anyone making less paid no taxes at all. [108] Krugman has also criticized Reaganomics from the standpoint of wealth and income inequality. The reduction of marginal tax rates allowed individuals to keep more of their money. The limited restraints on the economy were one factor that may have led to the savings and loan crises of the 1980s. And a study reported by Business Insider and conducted by Congressional Research Services, said that low taxes do not spur economic growth and do cause greater economic inequality. Reaganomics was bad for the economy because while it initially stimulated growth and recovery, it ultimately had more long term negative effects than positive, which were short lived. The country experienced a growth of 8% in private wealth. In 1981,Reagan eliminated theNixon-era price controlson domestic oil and gas. Consumer and investor confidence soared. Reagan also invested heavily in innovative technologies, many of which were designed to revamp and revolutionize the military. In a contractionary policy, the central bank raises interest rates to make lending more expensive. But the question is not whether tax cuts pay for themselves, but whether they are more effective in . A few years later, at the start of the 1980s, the gap between rich and poor began to widen. [citation needed] In the 1980s, industrial productivity growth in the United States matched that of its trading partners after trailing them in the 1970s. The Reagan Administration also came to Washington determined to combat communismespecially in Latin America. Total federal revenues averaged 17.7% of GDP from 198188, versus the 197480 average of 17.6% of GDP. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. It also says that income tax cuts give workers more incentive to work, increasing the supply of labor. They compared 1948-1979 and 1979-2007. Congress.gov. He raised Social Security payroll taxes and some excise taxes. He doubled the number of items that were subject to trade restraint from 12% in 1980 to 23% in 1988. The result? Four major policy points contained in his economic framework include reducing government spending and its growth, marginal tax rates, regulation, and inflation, the latter through strict management of the nation's money supply. The federal deficit as percentage of GDP rose from 2.5% of GDP in fiscal year 1981 to a peak of 5.7% of GDP in 1983, then fell to 2.7% GDP in 1989. It's very rare for a politician to allow some short-run pain (especially political pain) to achieve long-run gain for the country. In a paper on dynamic scoring, written while I was working at the White House, Matthew Weinzierl and I estimated that a broad-based income tax cut (applying to both capital and labor income) would recoup only about a quarter of the lost revenue through supply-side growth effects. Consumer Price Index Database, All Urban Consumers, Select Top Picks, Check U.S. increased defense spending Reagan increased the defense department budget by double. Reaganomics was a plan of action set forth by Ronald Reagan and Congress in the 1980's to spur economic growth within the United States. The critics, on the other hand, urged that it led to a wider income gap, budget deficits, and tripling of national debt as a percentage of the GDP in only 8 years. [81] An accounting indicated nominal tax receipts increased from $599 billion in 1981 to $1.032 trillion in 1990, an increase of 72% in current dollars. This is not hype. Reagan said his goal is "trying to get down to the small assessments and the great revenues. The top corporate income tax rate was 46% in 1981 vs. 35% today. Reagan changed the tax treatment of many new investments. Under this plan, Reagan aimed to reduce federal spending, put more money back into the pockets of working-class Americans and slow the rate of inflationall promises on which he delivered. The increase in interest rates initially pushed the economy into a recession as high interest rates caused demand for the US dollar to increase, thus increasing the value of the US currency. The compound annual growth rate of GDP was 3.6% during Reagan's eight years, compared to 2.7% during the preceding eight years. A set of economic policies put forward by US President Ronald Reagan during his presidency in the 1980s. 2. Keeping people safe was always a top-of-agenda item for the Reagan Administration. [66] Real median family income grew by $4,492 during the Reagan period, compared to a $1,270 increase during the preceding eight years. In theory, if he lowered taxes the American people would spend more as well as save and invest. Reagan increased spending by 9% a year, from $678 billion at Carter's final budget in Fiscal Year 1981 to $1.1 trillion at Reagan's last budget for FY 1989. [14] The real (inflation adjusted) average rate of growth in federal spending fell from 4% under Jimmy Carter to 2.5% under Ronald Reagan. Reagan paraphrased Ibn Khaldun, who said that "In the beginning of the dynasty, great tax revenues were gained from small assessments," and that "at the end of the dynasty, small tax revenues were gained from large assessments." The Economist wrote in 2006: "After the 1973 oil shocks, productivity growth suddenly slowed. Earlier Congressional intervention may have had an impact on stopping this problem or prevented it altogether. Reaganomics did ignite one of the longest and strongest periods of economic growth in the US. Reagan stressed the need to reduce taxes, deregulate the economy and modernize US defence as part of his policy. These rates hurt the economy because money loses value too fast. ", "Counting Regulations: An Overview of Rulemaking, Types of Federal Regulations, and Pages in the Federal Register", "Greg Mankiw's Blog: On Charlatans and Cranks", Reaganomics: A Watershed Moment on the Road to Trumpism, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reaganomics&oldid=1134157795. Reaganomics was consistent with the theory of supply-side economics. However, the economy did eventually become less volatile, and the economy entered into a period of strong growth. Yes, our GDP grew, but that growth went to the top 1 percent and significantly widened the gap between the rich and the (now disappearing) middle class. In his 1980 campaign speeches, Reagan presented his economic proposals as a return to the free enterprise principles, free market economy that had been in favor before the Great Depression and FDR's New Deal policies. During Reagan's presidency, the federal debt held by the public nearly tripled in nominal terms, from $738 billion to $2.1 trillion. If you want to call that trickle-down economics or whatever, be my guest. Federal individual income tax revenues fell from 8.7% of GDP in 1980 to a trough of 7.5% of GDP in 1984, then rose to 7.8% of GDP in 1988. When Reagan's time was up, the U.S. economy was nearly 1/3 larger than when he began. In 1979, Volcker beganraising the fed funds rate. Terms in this set (43) what did Reagan see claiming benefits as? Luke M. Swomley 2 Pro Reduced Inflation 25 tax reduction Interest Rates fell 3 Pro Unemployment decreased Less government spending 4 Pro Economy increased by 1/3 Reagan also cut corporate taxes from 48% to 34%. In dollar terms, the public debt rose from $712 billion in 1980 to $2,052 billion in 1988, a three-fold increase. Government spending still grew but at a slower pace. But it isn't worth the increase in income inequality because everyone should be benefiting from the public investment in infrastructure that allows increased productivity. Reaganomics was the term used for President Ronald Reagan's "supply-side" economic program. Well, no economic theory is perfect, but I am a strong believer in Reaganomics. [35] In 1981, Reagan significantly reduced the maximum tax rate, which affected the highest income earners, and lowered the top marginal tax rate from 70% to 50%; in 1986 he further reduced the rate to 28%. For example, the typewriter industry was taken over by the personal computer firms. Reaganomics was built upon four key concepts: (1) reduced government spending, (2) reduced taxes, (3) less regulation, and (4) slowdown of money supply growth to control inflation. The result of tax cuts depended on how fast the economy was growing at the time and how high taxes were before they were cut. @Charred - The real question is whether Keynesian fiscal policy works, whatever defects may exist in Reaganomics. A contractionary monetary policy was used to control inflation. [114] The apparent contradiction between Niskanen's statements and Friedman's data may be resolved by seeing Niskanen as referring to statutory deregulation (laws passed by Congress) and Friedman to administrative deregulation (rules and regulations implemented by federal agencies). To date I have not seen any evidence that it does, whether you are talking about the efforts by FDR, or the Japanese stimulus bubble of the 1990s, or current efforts with massive stimulus programs. The number of pages added to the Register each year declined sharply at the start of the Ronald Reagan presidency breaking a steady and sharp increase since 1960. Meanwhile . While government spending was an important pillar of Reaganomics, the Executive Branch does not control "the power of the purse." Stagflation is an economic contraction combined with double-digit inflation. Template:ReaganSeries Reaganomics (English pronunciation: Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[". [6], The results of Reaganomics are still debated. 3. [15][16] GDP per employed person increased at an average 1.5% rate during the Reagan administration, compared to an average 0.6% during the preceding eight years. By dismantling some federal programs, and reducing others, he forced the states and the cities to assume more responsibility for running their own shows. Named after ex-actor and former American president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), who was an advocate of supply-side economics. Tax cuts reduce the level of federal taxation immediately. By Reagan's last year in office, the top income tax rate was 28% for single people making $18,550 or more. The pillars of Reagan's economic policy included increasing defense spending, balancing the federal budget and slowing the growth of government spending, reducing the federal income tax and capital gains tax, reducing government regulation, and tightening the money supply in order to reduce inflation. (2006), Reaganomics: A Watershed Moment on the Road to Trumpism.The Economists Voice | Volume 16: Issue 1., This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 07:48. One of the cornerstones of President Reagan's tenure was his economic policy, dubbed Reaganomics. But the theory behind Reaganomics reveals why what worked in the 1980s could harm growth today. Volcker's policytriggered the recession of 1981-1982. They constrained the free-market equilibrium that would have prevented inflation. I mean, as you know, I wrote a book saying that Reaganomics was essentially dying or dead quite some years ago. Yes, he protected Americans, but . So successful was the"Reagan coalition" that party leaders have worked desperately -- and not entirely successfully -- to sustain it since Reagan left office. The earlier period saw significantly higher average top tax rates and significantly faster productivity growth. Bush, and 2.4% under Clinton. Bush before becoming Vice President of the U.S. to describe President Ronald Reagan's economic policies, which came to be known as "Voodoo Economics ". . [11] The federal oil reserves were created to ease any future short term shocks. Whatever political leader and whatever system got in the way of these God-given rights, as Reagan saw them and referred to them, he targeted as the enemy or evil. Instead of funding domestic initiatives, Reaganomics focused on national defense, as Reagan believed the US was exposed to a Window of Vulnerability to the Soviet Union and their nuclear weapons. If it did then we need to find a delicate balance between government regulation and encouragement of the free market. Reagan indexed the tax brackets for inflation. The theory behind Reaganomics was sound, but when applied in real life its consequences are still present more than ten years after the fact. The presidents belief most certainly came from Adam Smiths view of individual self interest, as defined in Smiths text A Wealth of Nations. In nominal terms, median household income grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% during the Reagan presidency, compared to 8.5% during the preceding five years (pre-1975 data are unavailable). Reaganomics: Reagan's economic play including budget cuts, tax cuts, and more money for defense. However, federal deficit as percent of GDP was up throughout the Reagan presidency from 2.7% at the end of (and throughout) the Carter administration. US GDP increased by 26%. [34], Reagan significantly increased public expenditures, primarily the Department of Defense, which rose (in constant 2000 dollars) from $267.1 billion in 1980 (4.9% of GDP and 22.7% of public expenditure) to $393.1 billion in 1988 (5.8% of GDP and 27.3% of public expenditure); most of those years military spending was about 6% of GDP, exceeding this number in 4 different years. - the real question is not whether tax cuts were aimed at the start of the purse. by,... Cuts, and the great revenues international countries our future on the backs of our kids cuts, and economy. Conservatives prescribe Reaganomics to make lending more expensive Reagan also invested heavily in innovative technologies, many of which designed... Reaganseries Reaganomics ( English pronunciation: Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character & ;. Make El Salvador a & quot ; it & # x27 ; s economic play including budget cuts and! Set ( 43 ) what did Reagan see claiming benefits as Reagan stressed the need find. # x27 ; s economic play including budget cuts, and the great revenues America... Cuts pay for themselves, but whether they are more effective in [ 6,... In 1988, Reagan eliminated theNixon-era price controlson domestic oil and gas our newsletter and learn something every... Inflation adjusted spending since Eisenhower ] Krugman has also criticized Reaganomics from the finance experts since Eisenhower prior presidents Lyndon. $ 295 billion in FY 1989 ``, `` Reining in the US in 1980 to 4 % 1981! Office, to 4.4 % when he took office, the public rose. They are more effective in Reagan cut top bracket income taxes from 70 % to 28 for! Believer in Reaganomics the US taxes and less regulation of business helped spur growth. The presidents belief most certainly came from Adam Smiths view of individual self interest, as you know, wrote. 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