Supply-Sider Roberts Hits Congress
Paul Craig Roberts, assistant secretary of the Treasury for economic policy and a leading ÛÏsupply sidorÛ in the Reagan administration, yesterday blamed Congress for creating the current recession.</br></br>ÛÏCongress, panicked by the press, delayed the tax cut and produced a recession,Û Roberts said in an interview.</br></br>If the House and Senate ÛÏgo out and raise taxes now, thereÛªs not going to lie any recoveryÛ from the recession, he said.</br></br>Roberts was referring to the fact that the original Reagan, administration plan for cutting taxes has been modified twice since the administration took office. First the White House agreed to postpone a sought-for LO percent across-the-board tax decrease from Jan. I to July 1 of this year, and later to reduce it to 5 percent effective Oct. L. Though ail these</br></br>As for additional tax increases in the future to close anticipated budget deficits, Roberts said ÛÏright now probably every economist in the country is on our sideÛ in opposing tax increases for fiscal 1982 or 1983. ÛÏI donÛªt know an economist who wants to raise taxes,Û he added.