I've spent a lot of time in the middle of the "Starve the Beast" and "Supply Side Tax Cut" debates.  I formulated the Roth-Kemp tax cut in early 1977 and, after working to scale it back, helped pass it in 1981 as the Republican tax economist on the Senate Budget Committee.  I formulated the Earned Income Tax Credit in 1975 and have worked for Democrats too.  I hold myself out as a non-partisan Washington economist.  My main goal all along has been to improve tax and budget policy.  I won't claim much success, but I would offer some observations.

I know I'm beating a dead horse, but it's hard not to be impressed (or depressed, depending on your point of view) by the way earmarks and spending reductions are discussed in local communities.

Whenever the subject changes from the generic "earmarks" and the "need to reduce federal spending" to the specific dollars the locality either wants, likes, was expecting, is getting, etc., the discussion changes from how bad earmrks and overspending is to how wonderful the money is coming our way or how the decision will hurt this area.