The Centre of Local Economic Studies (CLES) does itself no favours when it allow comment on economics - complete with graphs and snide remarks about Ronald Reagan - that have no evidential support.
This piece on "Voodoo Economic Development" sets out its left-wing stall early on:
Simple Reaganomics was focused on a ‘having your cake and eating it logic’, which was brilliant in its simplicity, namely that a lowering of taxes would improve the economy and lead to more tax revenues.
Now there is evidence for that - indeed the article refers to the Laffer Curve. And there may be evidence to support the article's contention that:
...in many places we still need significant and hefty interventions.
It's just that the author - one Neil McInroy - fails to present us with any of that evidence. And its accompanying graph appears to be merely a pretty representation of the writers opinion rather than something with an evidence base. All we have is fine - slightly lefty - words.
Yet this author gets before parliamentary committees, gets high profile places in national publications and leads a significant think-tank. And is unable to provide any link to the evidence supporting his argument for more of the same in regeneration.
Awful.
...
No comments:
Post a Comment