Reaganomics, supply-side economics, or voo doo economics as called by the first President George Bush didn’t work in the 1980s and still doesn’t work.
This refers to the economic policy  known as trickle down economics.
Time magazine in its Sept. 3 issue says, “Conceived in the mid-1970s when upper income tax rates were as high as 50 percent, supply-side  theory holds that high taxes smother industry and growth because people don’t work as hard to earn more when the government will take a large chunk of their additional income. Crucial to this theory is the  idea that tax cuts don’t cause big deficits because lower taxes spur growth, expanding the economy and increasing overall tax revenue. The problem is that few mainstream economists take pure supply-side theory seriously (though most acknowledge that tax rates can affect growth somewhat. Tax cut acted under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were followed by ballooning deficits and rejected by President George H. W. Bush.
Kansas has enacted a voo doo economics package where 191,000 small businesses are exempt from paying Kansas taxes. In other words, the middle class family may pay more taxes to send the doctor’s children to public school than the doctor.
This is just not right. Everyone should pay their fair share. There hasn’t been many complaints among the middle class, who will undoubtedly see property taxes and local taxes go up to cover the losses. According to the Kansas Department of Revenue, Brownback’s plan will add 20,000 new jobs over the next eight years, and bring in 40,000 people.
Gov. Sam Brownback has ordered nearly all state departments to cut 10 percent from their budgets for next year. Why would he do this if he expects the economy to grow?
The Kansas Legislative Research Department projects the Brownback tax plans will almost immediately create a budget shortfall that in five years will accumulate to $2.5 billion.
At that point, the overtaxed middle class will again have to pay for this folly.
Voters only have to blame themselves. Many simply look at social policy and choose a candidate based on that. The recent primary election put more supply-siders up for election than ever, defeating moderates that would question the plan.
This fall, question fiscal policies as well.

Karen La Pierre