Editing Arthur Laffer (section)

== Politics ==

Laffer was the first to hold the title of Chief Economist at the [[Office of Management and Budget]] (OMB) under [[George Shultz]] from October 1970 to July 1972.<ref name=":1" /> During the years 1972 to 1977, Laffer was a consultant to [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] [[William E. Simon|William Simon]], [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] and [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]] [[George P. Shultz|George Shultz]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150512006795/en/NexPoint-Residential-Trust-Appoints-Arthur-Laffer-James|title=NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. Appoints Arthur Laffer and James Dondero to Board of Directors|date=May 12, 2015|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=January 28, 2019|archive-date=May 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529054829/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150512006795/en/NexPoint-Residential-Trust-Appoints-Arthur-Laffer-James|url-status=live}}</ref>

Laffer was a member of [[Ronald Reagan|President Reagan]]'s Economic Policy Advisory Board for both of his terms (1981–1989) and was a founding member of the Reagan Executive Advisory Committee for the presidential race of 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aeispeakers.com/speakers/arthur-laffer/|title=Arthur Laffer Speaker Pricing & Availability from AEI Speakers Bureau|website=AEI Speakers Bureau|language=en-US|access-date=January 28, 2019|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222094218/https://aeispeakers.com/speakers/arthur-laffer/|url-status=live}}</ref> Laffer served as a member of the executive committee of the Reagan/Bush Finance Committee in 1984.<ref name=":1" />

In 1986, Laffer was a candidate for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nomination for the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]]—which he lost in the [[California]] [[Partisan primary|primary]] to [[United States Congress|U.S. Congressman]] [[Ed Zschau]], who lost in the [[general election]] to the incumbent, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Alan Cranston]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-B-Laffer|title=Arthur B. Laffer {{!}} American economist|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=January 28, 2019|archive-date=June 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618203439/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-B-Laffer|url-status=live}}</ref> Laffer identifies himself as a staunch fiscal conservative. However, he has stated publicly that he voted for President [[Bill Clinton]] in 1992 and 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://yale1962.org/speakout/?p=41 |title=Up, Up and Away: The Art Laffer Interview « Yale62.org |publisher=Yale1962.org |access-date=December 13, 2012 |archive-date=November 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120004924/http://yale1962.org/speakout/?p=41 |url-status=live }}</ref> Laffer references President Clinton's conservative fiscal and unregulated market policies as cornerstones of his support.<ref>Arthur B. Laffer and Stephen Moore, ''Return to Prosperity'', [[Threshold Editions]], p. 26, Feb 2010</ref>

In 2018, Laffer wrote the book ''Trumponomics'' with conservative economic commentator [[Stephen Moore (writer)|Stephen Moore]], wherein they lauded the Trump administration's economic policies.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/review-essay/2018-12-11/snake-oil-economics|title=Snake-Oil Economics|journal=Foreign Affairs: America and the World|date=January 29, 2019|access-date=March 23, 2019|issue=January/February 2019|language=en-US|issn=0015-7120|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222094221/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/review-essay/2018-12-11/snake-oil-economics|url-status=live}}</ref> In the book, Moore and Laffer argue that the Trump administration's 2017 tax plan would raise growth rates to as much as 6% and not increase budget deficits.<ref name=":02" /> In a 2019 review of the book, [[Greg Mankiw]], a conservative economics professor at Harvard University, characterized Laffer and Moore as "rah-rah partisans" who "do not build their analysis on the foundation of professional consensus or serious studies from peer-reviewed journals...The Laffer curve is undeniable as a matter of economic theory. There is certainly some level of taxation at which cutting tax rates would be win-win. But few economists believe that tax rates in the United States have reached such heights in recent years; to the contrary, they are likely below the revenue-maximizing level."<ref name=":02" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/mankiw/files/snake-oil_economics.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710001845/https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/mankiw/files/snake-oil_economics.pdf|url-status=live|title=Snake oil economics|archivedate=July 10, 2021}}</ref> The one issue where Moore and Laffer disagree with Trump is on the issue of free trade, which the duo supports.<ref name=":02" /> Previously, in 2016, Laffer said that he believed that then-candidate Trump was "going to be okay on trade" and lauded Trump's understanding of trade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/finance/trade/284253-economist-defends-trump-on-trade|title=Economist Laffer defends Trump on trade|last=Jagoda|first=Naomi|date=June 21, 2016|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en|access-date=April 17, 2019|archive-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417184923/https://thehill.com/policy/finance/trade/284253-economist-defends-trump-on-trade|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="cbsnews.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-to-award-medal-of-freedom-to-tax-cut-guru-arthur-laffer/|title=Trump to award Medal of Freedom to tax-cut guru Arthur Laffer|website=www.cbsnews.com|language=en-US|access-date=May 31, 2019|archive-date=June 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609175053/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-to-award-medal-of-freedom-to-tax-cut-guru-arthur-laffer/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Laffer regularly writes opinion articles in ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' and ''[[The Washington Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Laffer|first=Arthur|date=October 19, 2011|title=Cain's Stimulating '9-9-9' Tax Reform|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204346104576637310315367804|access-date=November 14, 2011|archive-date=April 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404201207/http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204346104576637310315367804?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052970204346104576637310315367804.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=STEPHEN MOORE: What the economy needs now|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/24/stephen-moore-what-the-economy-needs-now/?page=all|newspaper=The Washington Times|access-date=June 6, 2016|archive-date=February 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201112620/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/24/stephen-moore-what-the-economy-needs-now/?page=all|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 15, 2019, Laffer blamed the [[Great Recession]] on [[Barack Obama]], "who I believe was the reason why we had the Great Recession. As he got closer and closer to winning the markets collapsed."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2019/04/15/fox-straight-news-guest-art-laffer-says-bernie-sanders-being-elected-president-would-cause-total/223452|title=Fox "straight news" guest says Bernie Sanders being elected president would cause a total market collapse|date=April 15, 2019|website=Media Matters for America|access-date=April 16, 2019|archive-date=July 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731053602/https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2019/04/15/fox-straight-news-guest-art-laffer-says-bernie-sanders-being-elected-president-would-cause-total/223452|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, Laffer advised the Trump administration on how to re-open the economy during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-05-02|title=Conservative groups advising White House push fast reopening, not testing|language=en|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-plans-analysis-idUSKBN22D6BD|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222094216/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-plans-analysis-idUSKBN22D6BD|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=2020|title=34 days of pandemic: Inside Trump's desperate attempts to reopen America|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/34-days-of-pandemic-inside-trumps-desperate-attempts-to-reopen-america/2020/05/02/e99911f4-8b54-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html|access-date=|archive-date=August 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830161113/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/34-days-of-pandemic-inside-trumps-desperate-attempts-to-reopen-america/2020/05/02/e99911f4-8b54-11ea-9dfd-990f9dcc71fc_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Reopening the economy vs. keeping it shut longer. What's more costly?|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-23/whats-worse-reopening-the-economy-or-keep-it-shut-down-longer|date=2020-04-23|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222094215/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-23/whats-worse-reopening-the-economy-or-keep-it-shut-down-longer|url-status=live}}</ref> Laffer argued for halting [[Stimulus (economics)|stimulus]], calling instead for payroll tax cuts.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=Reuters|date=2020-05-01|title=Conservative Groups Advising White House Push Fast Reopening, Not Testing|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/05/01/us/01reuters-health-coronavirus-usa-plans-analysis.html|access-date=2020-05-14|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="FormerReagan">{{Cite web|title=A former Reagan economist wants to slash the salaries of professors and public officials — while simultaneously proposing tax cuts to stimulate the coronavirus-stricken economy|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/reagan-economist-arthur-laffer-tax-cuts-stimulate-coronavirus-trump-economy-2020-4|last=Zeballos-Roig|first=Joseph|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=2020-05-21|archive-date=December 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222094216/https://www.businessinsider.com/reagan-economist-arthur-laffer-tax-cuts-stimulate-coronavirus-trump-economy-2020-4|url-status=live}}</ref> He advocated for taxes on non-profit organizations in education and the arts, as well as for salary reductions for professors and government officials.<ref name="FormerReagan" /> He argued against expansion of unemployment aid, arguing it discouraged people from working.<ref name="FormerReagan" />

=== Presidential Medal of Freedom ===
[[File:President Trump Presents the Medal of Freedom (48099861262).jpg|thumb|Laffer receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump in 2019]]
In 2019, President [[Donald Trump|Trump]] awarded Laffer the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the nation's highest civilian honor.<ref name=":5" /> The Trump White House said Laffer was receiving the award for "public service and contributions to economic policy that have helped spur prosperity for our Nation" and that Laffer was "one of the most influential economists in American history" due to popularizing the "[[Laffer curve|Laffer Curve]]."<ref name=":5" /> Trump praised Laffer for policies that he said brought "greater opportunity for all Americans."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tankersley|first=Jim|date=June 19, 2019|title=Trump Awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Arthur Laffer, Tax-Cut Guru|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/politics/arthur-laffer-medal-of-freedom.html|access-date=June 20, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=June 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620001813/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/politics/arthur-laffer-medal-of-freedom.html|url-status=live}}</ref>