Political Control of the Economy

The premise of this book is stated early on (Page ix): ". . .I seek to show how certain political variables determine macroeconomic outcomes in a systematic and predictable way. In particular, I provide evidence demonstrating the role of elections and political parties in deciding who gets what, when, and how in the political arena." This dynamic is a two-way street. On the one hand, he notes that the state of the economy has an effect on elections. Is the economy in bad shape? The incumbent party takes a beating. Is the economy healthy? The incumbent party may reap some rewards. Hmmm. On the other hand, would that not suggest that the party in power would engage in manipulation of the economy for electoral gain? Tufte also provides some evidence that the party in power will work to "juice up" the economy in an election year. One story: Richard Nixon sending a personal note to all retirees about his administration having increased Social Security payments (coincidentally, the note arrived just before a presidential election, in October of 1972). A golden oldie that still has relevance today. . . .