Why the Republicans Can't Win

Trickle-down economics is a turn of phrase that I've always found particularly annoying. The trickle-down theory is an economic philosophy Republicans love to champion when pushing tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. They claim that if taxed less, the very rich will spend more money and it will trickle-down to the rest of us.

Consider the word trickle. Webster's definition is to "issue or fall in drops." If it were actually something good, wouldn't you name it "flow-down or stream-down economics" or something else that signifies a charitable amount of money? That is because trickle-down was originally coined by Will Rogers during the great depression; he said that "money was all appropriated for the top in hopes that it would trickle down to the needy."

Here's my version of the trickle-down theory at work: a hedge fund billionaire with an approximate tax rate of 15% buys a piece of art for 70 million dollars. The proceeds of that transaction will trickle-down to the liquor store supplying the cases of champagne to the gallery owner and the artist, who will also hopefully leave large tips to their gardeners, chauffeurs servants, busboys and other various people in their employ.

Sam Walton once said something to the effect that there are more poor people than rich people. This is true, yet the GOP seeks to not only to cut social programs but to eliminate them altogether. Most Republican candidates are so oblivious to our economic woes that their campaigns focus on abortion, gay marriage and religious issues. The one viable Republican presidential candidate is Mitt Romney, who has never had the full support of his party because he's not conservative enough on social issues.

Republicans can continue to relentlessly criticize the president all they want, but the GOP is out of touch with the American people and that is why President Obama will be reelected.

 

 

 

Follow Rob Taub on Twitter: www.twitter.com/robmtaub

Comments

[Adam of CA]

04:14 PM on 12/27/2011

The trickle economy fails to mention that the 1% never waited for the trickle. Instead they use the tool of monopoly to grab the wealth they possess. The common denominator of the 1% Klan is greed. And that same greed will never share the wealth with the 99% masses. The proof is the current NO Republicans and the HELL NO Teapublicans of the U.S. Congress.

With that truth stated, the Republicans should not win any elections since they only exist to insulate themselves thru taxpayers money in their own wealth.

These are not Public Servants. They truly get elected to serve themselves to the wealth collected by the I.R.S.
They are self-serving parasites of the middle class who are not yet united to BURY them in the Nov. 2012 Elections.

[rrodrig843]

03:14 PM on 12/27/2011

What a great article. Your right a trickle down economy hasn't woked and will never work. Taxes must be raised and a national health care plan must be instituted.The death tax must be reinstated and the funds directed to funding of the national healhcare program.

[Viking]

11:57 AM on 12/27/2011

At the beginning of the 20th century, when the US was closer to our agrarian past, there was a more colorful turn of phrase for trickle-down economics. They called it "feeding the grass by feeding the horses." Kinda feels like the same stuff is trickling down, doesn't it?

[Erik G Nyquist]

10:47 AM on 12/27/2011

I think that the GOP is quite in touch with the people who most strongly support the GOP- that is to say, the very wealthy, and the socially-conservative white people who are looking for a philosophical rationale to justify any number of bigotries.

[csmith14]

10:41 AM on 12/27/2011

John Kennneth Galbraith explained trickle down economics this way (He grew up on a farm.), "If you want to feed the birds, you give the horse some oats." This is surely the basic Republican position for most of America.

[MilesToGo]

10:10 AM on 12/27/2011

A trenchant cartoon in The New Yorker many years ago depicted two wealthy gents in the club chairs, sipping brandy and smoking cigars. The caption reads, "The only way money trickles down is if there's a damn leak!"

[domnogin]

09:44 AM on 12/27/2011

http://domnogin.blogspot.com Trickle down failed in the 1920's when money was given to banks who refused to give loans, it failed in the 1980's despite S&L bubbles in defense and the stock market because of more money to the rich, and it failed in the 2000's despite bubbles in sub-prime housing and two illegal wars to control oil. Did I mention that both Reagan and W. cheated? If people want Reagan's fake prosperity, at least bring back his 50% top marginal income tax; pay for the $4T wars with Nixon/Ford's 74% version!

[satanlite]

09:40 AM on 12/27/2011

VOTE liberals. VOTE democrats. VOTE everyone who looks upon the conservative Republicans and their clown car as the jokes they are or THEY Will be in charge again. THEY VOTE IN BLOCKS. NEVER forget it. If YOU sit at home and think Obama will win because everyone will vote for him you are wrong. VOTE for Obama or you will probably have a raging criminal Republican administration back in charge. Got off your seat and VOTE in this election.

[Jennifer Mead]

11:07 AM on 12/27/2011

x2 satanlite.

[CatfishJohn]

09:37 AM on 12/27/2011

So what, , as Obama is the reincarnation of Nelson Rockefeller- "Republican Lite"

[bonthomme]

10:12 AM on 12/27/2011

Well, the alternative is the reincarnation of Kim Jong Il...

[Jennifer Mead]

11:08 AM on 12/27/2011

agreed

[Robert Breedlove]

09:19 AM on 12/27/2011

It's not Trickle Down, it is Tinkle Down, the idea that if we give all the money to the rich it will cause a Golden Shower to fall on the heads of the Pee-ons.

[Jennifer Mead]

11:08 AM on 12/27/2011

Maybe that is why we are all so "pissed" off?

[Robert Breedlove]

06:28 PM on 12/27/2011

Technically, we are all pissed on, but I get where your coming from.