A drop in nominal interest rates and a drop in inflation SHOULD correspond. This is no mirage. Here is a real interest rate graph.
There does appear to be a spike as the pace of interest rate cuts failed to keep up with the drop in inflation (as the other graph shows, interest rate cuts came only after inflation began dropping), but this should be seen more as a cautious Federal Reserve Board playing it safe than as a sign that tax-cutting is ineffective or that there is a correlation between deficits and interest rates. After the brief spike, we see things level off to the more normal level we have seen in recent years.
I know that they should....that was my point.
Tried to fix theimage. Anyway, there is a correlation between running up a huge deficit and forcing up the interest rate I believe. And it is natural that interest rate changes lag a little, since it's a reaction to inflation. I am not saying Reagan's economic polcies were completely off or anything, but I think part of the theoretical reasoning was a little shady, especially on fiscal issues.