Based on analysis in Gale and Potter (2002) and Gale
and Orszag (2005a), the 2001 tax cut raised the cost
of capital for investments in residential housing, sole
proprietorships, and corporate structures because the
higher deficits raised interest rates. By contrast, the
cost of capital for corporate equipment fell slightly
because the tax act also contained provisions for bonus
depreciation that more than offset the rise in interest
rates. It might also be thought that the 2003 tax cut
would have more beneficial effects on investment, since
it focused on dividend and capital gains tax cuts. But
Desai and Goolsbee (2004) find that the 2003 tax cuts
had little impact on investment. In addition, Gale and
Orszag (2005b) show that the combined net effect of
making EGTRRA and JGTRRA permanent would be to
raise the cost of capital once the effect on higher deficits
on interest rates are taken into account.