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Donald Trump’s No Supply-Sider and His Tax Plan Is a $10 Trillion Debt Bomb

October 17, 2015

By Ralph Benko

Donald Trump is no supply-sider, as is evidenced by his pro-tariff and restrictionist immigration stands. Supply-side, from its inception, is all about job growth and equitable prosperity. Both would be hurt by such autarkical prescriptions. Trump doesn’t get it.

His tax plan, while superficially supply-side in that it lowers rates somewhat, carries a heavier burden of proof than it has received from some veteran supply-siders. The mulligan given Trump is a tribute to the ever-sunny disposition and native optimism of most supply-siders. Trump and his tax reform plan drew mixed reviews even on the supply side from such thoughts leaders as Forbes.com’s own John Tamny, recently, in Did Republican Partisans Actually Read Trump’s Tax Plan.

The two kindest, and most astute, points noted in favor of the plan were made by Tamny, “Trump’s decision to not support the subsidization of capital investment is correct,” and by supply-sider Jeff Bell writing in APP’s ThePulse2016.com (whose sister organization I professionally advise) who observed “Unlike most recent Republican plans, Trump avoids single year expensing for corporate investment in new physical capital (machines and buildings). Though rarely highlighted by its advocates, it is so expensive it preempts the ability to cut personal rates very much, without huge projected deficits.”

Read the full article at Forbes.com: Donald Trump's No Supply-Sider And His Tax Plan Is A $10 Trillion Debt Bomb

Issue Categories : Donald Trump, Taxes