Bush vs. Reagan

On spending, there's no comparison, says American Enterprise Institute's Veronique de Rugy:

President Bush, like Reagan, has implemented large across-the-board tax cuts and has boosted defense spending. The analogy is tempting but incorrect. President Reagan's legacy includes his courageous and largely unappreciated willingness to fight for reductions in domestic spending. By contrast, President Bush has engaged in large, nondefense domestic spending.

Ronald Reagan sought–and won–more spending cuts than any other modern president. He is the only president in the last forty years to cut inflation-adjusted nondefense outlays, which fell by 9.7 percent during his first term. George W. Bush, in contrast, increased real nondefense spending by at least 25.3 percent during his first term.

Whole thing here.

[Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan]