It's all politics. Reality, and its consequences, just doesn't figure into their lust of power. After all, they will get theirs. To heck with common sense.
To wit, in Congress, the CBO can't use dynamics, such as the Laffer Curve, to give a more realistic estimate of the impact of tax policy.
The old story of a TX US Rep (economics prof, Dem turned Pubbie, iirc, name escapes), asked the CBO what the revenue of 100% tax rate would be.
The answer was the expected income of all US taxpayers without any effects of the punitive, and disincentivizing tax rate.
I think the name you are looking for is former US Senator Phil Gramm.
He was terrific.