Evidence, huh?

From Brookings, a call for using actual evaluation evidence to make budget decisions.

The awe-inspiring non-seriousness of the current US policy formation among members of both the red and blue teams is well illustrated by the fact that such a piece has to be written.

How do these people look themselves in the mirror? It truly is beyond me. The only possible legitimate justification for taking money by force from people (that would be taxes) and spending it on social programs (other than straight transfers) can be that it is being spent on programs that have credibly been shown to pass serious cost-benefit tests. What percentage of US social pending meets this test? One? Less than one?

Sigh.