This is from my friend Norbrook's Blog He gets complete credit
Back in the late 70′s, there came the idea of “trickle down economics.” The basic idea, at least as it was put to the public, was that by reducing the tax rates on the rich and corporations, they would have more money to invest, which would create more jobs and economic activity farther down. In other words, by the government taking less from the wealthy, the benefits would “trickle down” to the rest.
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As more businesses and jobs were created by this, pay scales would rise and with it, the government would receive the same – or more – tax revenue than it would have had it continued with the previous tax schedules. As a theory, it sounded good. In practice, it has been a miserable failure. It turns out there was a core assumption being made, that in practice turned out not to be the case. An “implied contract” that was broken.
What was the core assumption? That the increased money from tax savings would be invested in this country. It was assumed that businesses would use the extra money to increase manufacturing facilities and hire new workers. The wealthy would use their additional funds to invest in new businesses, and increase their purchasing. Instead what happened was first a round of acquisitions and mergers, resulting in a series of lost jobs, followed by the use of those funds to invest in moving manufacturing and jobs overseas. It was a terrific policy in terms of generating jobs and economic activity - for other countries. In terms of this country, it’s been terrible, unless you’re wealthy.
The result has been an increase in the income of the wealthiest Americans, while the lower levels have lost. Mother Jones magazine, it's the inequality ... has some wonderful graphs showing it:
PLACEHOLDER FOR PICTURES
Look at that again. The wealthiest 20% control over 80% of the national wealth. The top 10% control 2/3rd’s of the total wealth. What is equally obvious is that many (if not most) don’t realize it, and their “ideal” is not even close to the reality. Back in the ’80′s, I used to hear this phrase a lot: “A rising tide lifts all boats.” It was one of the justifications for implementing the tax breaks and other aspects of supply side economics. What has become apparent is that only a few boats rose, while the rest were firmly anchored with holes drilled in their hulls.
The Republicans haven’t stopped touting it though, and using the same arguments they made back in the ’80′s to keep the tax breaks or expand them. Once again, they’ll tell you how badly they’re needed, and how that doing away with them will mean less money to invest. But the problem is that it hasn’t worked. Which means they’re following Einstein’s definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Whether supply side would have worked if the people who had received the tax breaks had lived up to their side of the bargain is something that can be debated endlessly. The reality is that they didn’t live up to it, and no, we shouldn’t trust them to do it “this time.” They’ve already shown they can’t be trusted.
I participate at BPI Campus
I believe in the following:
REAL AMERICANS RESPECT EACH OTHER!
The BPI Progressive agenda:
* People matter more than profits.
* The earth is our home, not our trash can.
* We need good government for both #1 and #2.
A mighty fist bump to you all!