David Stockman and "The Triumph of Politics"

[erpowers]

Has anyone read "The Triumph of Politics" by David Stockman. I bought the book a few years ago at a library book sale. I decided to start reading it today. However, once I started it seemed like a number of other books written by Republcans and people who worked for Repbulicans. He seemed to go into the regular name calling of liberals and claiming liberal hate America. So, does anyone know if the book is of any substance or if it is just a liberal bashing and excuse making for Reagan book?

[rfranklin]

1. David Stockman is a rightwing nut job...

Does that answer your question?

[CTyankee]

2. Stockman made his pile and now lives in a mansion in Greenwich. His wife,

Jennifer Blei Stockman, was active in Republicans for Choice, back when I was raising money for Planned Parenthood of CT. We had lots of women donors in Greenwich who were registered Republicans. I never thought that David Stockman was a right wing nutjob but then I didn't know him and had only briefly met JB.

It's funny. She and Annie Lamont would often show up at the same prochoice events. What a contrast...

[htuttle]

3. He popularized the concept of 'trickle-down economics' while working for Reagan

...and then years later, when it was obvious that none of his theories worked, declared it to be 'Voodoo Economics' as though somebody else had thought it up.

And yet here we are today, with 'trickle-down economics' basically pissing on all of our heads...

[followthemoney]

4. I read the book many years ago.

His economic plan was based on the Laffer curve.

The idea was that by cutting tax rates the economy would be stimulated and tax revenue would increase.

He concluded that his plan wouldn't work before Reagan's election but there was no time to come up with a new plan. So Reagan ran against Carter on a plan that Stockman referred to as a "Trojan Horse."

It is very scary when the person in charge of the national economy is a creationist.

This is the beginning of the Republican borrow and spend that Cheney calls the proof that deficits don't matter.

People voted Republican who had been lifelong Democrats for the something for nothing promises Reagan made.