Lamar Alexander’s re-election campaign today announced that Art Laffer, a top economist under President Ronald Reagan and former Club for Growth board member, is endorsing Alexander for U.S. Senate.
In a statement, Laffer – who is often called President Reagan’s “favorite economist” for his work on how low taxes benefit economic growth – said that as governor and senator, Alexander has demonstrated a strong conservative record on a range of issues, including states’ rights, fiscal policy, education and labor. Laffer said, in part:
“No one is more responsible for Tennessee’s low taxes, correct spending policies and pro-growth economic environment than former Governor Lamar Alexander. That environment is the primary reason that our family on July 1, 2006 moved from California to Tennessee. Lamar has continued those policies in the United States Senate, which is why I am voting for him in the Republican primary on August 7.”
Alexander said, “I appreciate the endorsement from Art Laffer, who served President Reagan at the same time that as governor I was working with the president to get Washington completely out of Tennessee’s schools. As senator, I will continue to fight to take conservative principles and Tennessee common sense to Washington, to help get our country headed in a conservative direction.”
Following is a full statement by Dr. Arthur B. Laffer of Nashville, who is often called “Ronald Reagan’s favorite economist” and the “Father of Supply Side Economics.” He was a member of President Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board for eight years. Dr. Laffer is a former member of the board of directors of Club for Growth.
"No one is more responsible for Tennessee’s low taxes, correct spending policies and pro-growth economic environment than former Governor Lamar Alexander. That environment is the primary reason that our family on July 1, 2006 moved from California to Tennessee. Lamar has continued those policies in the United States Senate, which is why I am voting for him in the Republican primary on August 7.
As Governor, Lamar Alexander balanced eight budgets, helped Tennessee secure an AAA bond rating and reduced the number of state employees. When he left office Tennessee had no payroll tax and its per capita taxes were among the nation’s lowest. The state pension system was in sound shape.
His spending policies were correct, too. To help attract the auto industry Tennessee built the nation’s top-rated four-lane highway system and Governor Alexander left office with zero road debt, something few states can say. He spent education dollars wisely, causing Tennessee to become the first state to pay teachers more for teaching well.
Like another Governor whom I knew well – Ronald Reagan – Lamar Alexander understands federalism, that states have the right to be right and states have the right to be wrong. As governor, he defended Tennessee’s right-to-work law. Lamar worked with President Reagan to get Washington completely out of local schools. As senator, he is fighting to stop President Obama from creating a national school board. Senator Alexander wants to send decisions about schools and teachers back home where they belong.
Sen. Alexander has a sound record for fiscal responsibility. He and Sen. Corker have tackled a problem most members of Congress are reluctant to tackle; they have introduced legislation to reduce the growth of entitlement spending by $1 trillion. He sponsored and voted for Balanced Budget amendments to the Constitution. He voted to make many of the Bush tax cuts permanent. He supported the Budget Control Act of 2012 and opposed Obama’s budgets and stimulus.
In short, Senator Alexander is doing his best to transfer to Washington the sound fiscal and governmental policies he helped to put in place as governor, policies that helped persuade the Laffer family to move from California to Tennessee.
I will vote for Sen. Alexander in the Republican primary on Thursday, August 7. I would encourage other Tennesseans to do so, too.
Arthur B. Laffer
June 25, 2014"
In a statement, Laffer – who is often called President Reagan’s “favorite economist” for his work on how low taxes benefit economic growth – said that as governor and senator, Alexander has demonstrated a strong conservative record on a range of issues, including states’ rights, fiscal policy, education and labor. Laffer said, in part:
“No one is more responsible for Tennessee’s low taxes, correct spending policies and pro-growth economic environment than former Governor Lamar Alexander. That environment is the primary reason that our family on July 1, 2006 moved from California to Tennessee. Lamar has continued those policies in the United States Senate, which is why I am voting for him in the Republican primary on August 7.”
Alexander said, “I appreciate the endorsement from Art Laffer, who served President Reagan at the same time that as governor I was working with the president to get Washington completely out of Tennessee’s schools. As senator, I will continue to fight to take conservative principles and Tennessee common sense to Washington, to help get our country headed in a conservative direction.”
Following is a full statement by Dr. Arthur B. Laffer of Nashville, who is often called “Ronald Reagan’s favorite economist” and the “Father of Supply Side Economics.” He was a member of President Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board for eight years. Dr. Laffer is a former member of the board of directors of Club for Growth.
"No one is more responsible for Tennessee’s low taxes, correct spending policies and pro-growth economic environment than former Governor Lamar Alexander. That environment is the primary reason that our family on July 1, 2006 moved from California to Tennessee. Lamar has continued those policies in the United States Senate, which is why I am voting for him in the Republican primary on August 7.
As Governor, Lamar Alexander balanced eight budgets, helped Tennessee secure an AAA bond rating and reduced the number of state employees. When he left office Tennessee had no payroll tax and its per capita taxes were among the nation’s lowest. The state pension system was in sound shape.
His spending policies were correct, too. To help attract the auto industry Tennessee built the nation’s top-rated four-lane highway system and Governor Alexander left office with zero road debt, something few states can say. He spent education dollars wisely, causing Tennessee to become the first state to pay teachers more for teaching well.
Like another Governor whom I knew well – Ronald Reagan – Lamar Alexander understands federalism, that states have the right to be right and states have the right to be wrong. As governor, he defended Tennessee’s right-to-work law. Lamar worked with President Reagan to get Washington completely out of local schools. As senator, he is fighting to stop President Obama from creating a national school board. Senator Alexander wants to send decisions about schools and teachers back home where they belong.
Sen. Alexander has a sound record for fiscal responsibility. He and Sen. Corker have tackled a problem most members of Congress are reluctant to tackle; they have introduced legislation to reduce the growth of entitlement spending by $1 trillion. He sponsored and voted for Balanced Budget amendments to the Constitution. He voted to make many of the Bush tax cuts permanent. He supported the Budget Control Act of 2012 and opposed Obama’s budgets and stimulus.
In short, Senator Alexander is doing his best to transfer to Washington the sound fiscal and governmental policies he helped to put in place as governor, policies that helped persuade the Laffer family to move from California to Tennessee.
I will vote for Sen. Alexander in the Republican primary on Thursday, August 7. I would encourage other Tennesseans to do so, too.
Arthur B. Laffer
June 25, 2014"