Op Ed: Tax cuts don't mean economic growth

Congressional Republicans and President Trump are pushing for tax reform this fall. But do tax cuts translate to economic growth?

Bruce Bartlett, domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan, says the gospel of trickle-down growth just doesn't hold up. He recently made his argument in an op-ed for The Washington Post, writing that "In reality, there's no evidence that a tax cut now would spur growth."

MPR News host Kerri Miller spoke with Bartlett about tax reform, and tax cuts through the decades. "I think the problem today is that we have too much supply and not enough demand, so maybe now is the time for some kind of trickle-down," Bartlett said. "The problem, though, is still the original one, which is if you give money to the wealthy, they're not going to spend it. You have to find some way to put money into the pockets of people who are, frankly, living from hand to mouth, because they will spend it."

Use the audio player above to hear the full segment.