The economic rankings: Test 1: Public sector balance as a percentage of gross domestic product, 2009 forecast, cyclically-adjusted. Ranked by size of surplus. Test 2: Percentage point change in public sector balance since 2004. Test 3: Overall tax burden as percentage of GDP, percentage point change 2002-2007 Test 4: Change in "tax wedge" or difference between labour costs to employer and net take home pay of employees, 2002-2007 Test 5: Percentage point change in overall tax rate on dividend income, 2003-2008 The political tests, based on voting by an eight-strong panel of economists and commentators, rank the ministers according to the following attributes: lucidity. (swiftness in realising the extent of the global banking crisis), leadership skills (including role played at a European level) and élan (effectiveness domestically).
So the best minister is the one that cut taxes a lot, and cut spending even more and then, with élan and swiftness, calls the crisis a big one. Sounds like a fun job! In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
