Mitt Romney says, “What concerns me about Washington is that people have answers before they’ve gathered any data, done any analysis, solicited opinions from people who disagree,” Mr. Romney said in an interview. “From the business world, you look at that and you say, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ (NY Times 11/24/07) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/24/us/politics/24manage.html?_r=2&ref=politics&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Romney claims to be concerned that people in Washington "have answers before they’ve gathered any data, done any analysis, solicited opinions from people who disagree.” Yet he repeatedly voices the convenient, politically popular myth that tax cut generate higher revenues, even though almost no well-credentialed economists agree. Next time Romney says "You've got to be kidding”, I hope he's looking in the mirror.

In fairness to Romney, he probably has consulted with experts, and most notably he is indeed being advised by prominent economist Greg Mankiw, who has repeatedly, clearly, strongly, publicly disagreed with that “higher revenues” myth in the past (the past meaning prior to beginning to advise the Romney campaign), so it should be said that Romney probably has obtained good information and opinion, and has reached a valid conclusion, and if so, he’s not technically being hypocritical. He’s just lying through his teeth (not that anyone would expect that from Flip Romney).

For views expressed by Mankiw and other economists on this matter, please see http://swordscrossed.org/node/1671