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Sowell: The 'Trickle-Down' Lie
Creators Syndicate ^ | January 7, 2014 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 01/06/2014 12:02:09 PM PST by jazusamo

New York's new mayor, Bill de Blasio, in his inaugural speech, denounced people "on the far right" who "continue to preach the virtue of trickle-down economics." According to Mayor de Blasio, "They believe that the way to move forward is to give more to the most fortunate, and that somehow the benefits will work their way down to everyone else."

If there is ever a contest for the biggest lie in politics, this one should be a top contender.

While there have been all too many lies told in politics, most have some little tiny fraction of truth in them, to make them seem plausible. But the "trickle-down" lie is 100 percent lie.

It should win the contest both because of its purity — no contaminating speck of truth — and because of how many people have repeated it over the years, without any evidence being asked for or given.

Years ago, this column challenged anybody to quote any economist outside of an insane asylum who had ever advocated this "trickle-down" theory. Some readers said that somebody said that somebody else had advocated a "trickle-down" policy. But they could never name that somebody else and quote them.

Mayor de Blasio is by no means the first politician to denounce this non-existent theory. Back in 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama attacked what he called "an economic philosophy" which "says we should give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else."

(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: billdeblasio; economics; newyork; newyorkcity; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; sowell; thomassowell; trickledown
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To: SoConPubbie

I’ll concede that. :-)


21 posted on 01/06/2014 12:27:55 PM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: Carry_Okie
RE :”I was thinking Nixon.”

Nixon had pretty liberal policies.

22 posted on 01/06/2014 12:28:03 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : 'If you like your Doctor you can keep him, PERIOD! Don't believe the GOPs warnings')
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To: Mr. K
They tell people that it means that the government GIVES money to rich people

That's what we have now with these Bankster Bailouts, Solyndra type government contract frauds, Obamacare exemptions for connected companies, mortgage security scams and all these other Crony Corporatist schemes that are made possible by FEDGOV cooperating or looking the other way.

The Insiders are getting richer at the expense of the middle-calss now, under Obama.

23 posted on 01/06/2014 12:28:08 PM PST by Count of Monte Fisto (The foundation of modern society is the denial of reality.)
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To: jazusamo

The problem all these socialist face is that the bar to be called “rich” keeps getting lower and lower.

A little taking is never enough. The appetite for tax money grows larger every day. Soon anyone with a job making more than 15 and hour will be called rich.

Then, and only then will the government grab become real to people.


24 posted on 01/06/2014 12:29:08 PM PST by msrngtp2002 (Just my opinion.)
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To: jazusamo

Wikipedia has an interesting section on the history of the term trickle down economics. It also refers to an alternative theory which is “loot and plunder” which I suggest we use to describe RAT plans for tax increases on “the rich”.

Of course if the RATS were interested in a “fair” tax system they would support the flat tax.


25 posted on 01/06/2014 12:29:59 PM PST by Brooklyn Attitude (Things are only going to get worse.)
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To: jazusamo

Down Chrissy’s Leg?


26 posted on 01/06/2014 12:31:58 PM PST by Scrambler Bob ( Concerning bo -- that refers to the president. If I capitalize it, I mean the dog.)
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To: Mr. K
RE :”They tell people that it means that the government GIVES money to rich people and the rich people are supposed to give it away to poor, but they didn't...”

You have to listen carefully.

Libs define any tax cut as the government giving money away.

That is what they mean when they claim that oil companies get billions of dollars in subsidies from the Fed gov, while the oil companies are paying many fortunes in taxes to that same Fed gov(IRS).

The money only goes one direction to them, to the gov, but libs call it a gift to the oil company.

27 posted on 01/06/2014 12:33:10 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : 'If you like your Doctor you can keep him, PERIOD! Don't believe the GOPs warnings')
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To: jazusamo
.... Since the so called "Trickle Down Economics" is a lie to all Liberals .... I think Bill de Blasio and heck ... all Socialist Liberals should agree to take a Socialist Oath that would state that they all be paid no more than minimum wage. ....

......This way they could all adhere to their own philosophy and have the rest of the money that would normally be paid to them could be compassionately redistributed to the needy like they say the rest of America should do. Because apparently ...... any money earned above minimum wage never makes it's way down the chain and .... according to them...... is wasted.

28 posted on 01/06/2014 12:33:20 PM PST by R_Kangel ( "A Nation of Sheep ..... Will Beget ..... a Nation Ruled by Wolves.")
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To: jazusamo

Only in the fevered leftist mind can believe that “letting people keep their money” is “giving them money.”


29 posted on 01/06/2014 12:34:31 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (H.L. Mencken: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.")
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To: jazusamo

“It’s kind of hard to sell ‘trickle down,’” Stockman told the interviewer. “So the supply-side formula was the only way to get a tax policy that was really ‘trickle down.’ Supply-side is ‘trickle-down’ theory.”

William Greider, “The Education of David Stockman,” The Atlantic Monthly, December 1981, pp. 46-47.


30 posted on 01/06/2014 12:36:32 PM PST by sefarkas (Why vote Democrat Lite?)
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To: sickoflibs
Libs define any tax cut as the government giving money away.

It's a very telling philosophy. It tells who they believe money belongs to. We think it belongs to the earner, they think money belongs to the gummint, except what they think we should be allowed to keep. Whenever you hear *any* politician, of *any* party use the phrase "Tax Expenditure," they are giving their game away. They're calling a tax cut an expenditure.

31 posted on 01/06/2014 12:43:22 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (H.L. Mencken: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.")
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To: sickoflibs

Trickle down from private citizens to private citizen is better then trickle down from private citizen through government to others.


32 posted on 01/06/2014 12:49:34 PM PST by edcoil (System now set up not to allow some to win but for no one to lose!)
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To: Cyber Liberty
RE :”It's a very telling philosophy. It tells who they believe money belongs to. We think it belongs to the earner, they think money belongs to the gummint, except what they think we should be allowed to keep. “

Many of them openly admit that.

They say we all benefit from this *rich nation* and are like part of an ecosystem where some create jobs and others consume(like the bees spreading pollen), which in turn creates demand that makes the rich guys $$$. We all do our part even those on welfare.

So when economic inequality gets too large the whole system breaks down. Like an invasive species taking over.

Then the government has to ‘level the playing field’ for everyone’s well being.

We will see how it goes in NYC.

33 posted on 01/06/2014 12:52:11 PM PST by sickoflibs (Obama : 'If you like your Doctor you can keep him, PERIOD! Don't believe the GOPs warnings')
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To: jazusamo

Bookmark


34 posted on 01/06/2014 12:54:10 PM PST by aquila48
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To: jazusamo

It has finally dawned on me that the real “trickle down” economics is socialism. Government confiscates rich people’s wealth, and “trickles it down” to the poor.


35 posted on 01/06/2014 12:55:59 PM PST by Hardastarboard (The question of our age is whether a majority of Americans can and will vote us all into slavery.)
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To: sickoflibs

Trickle down according to the article is that you give the people at the top more. That’s not how it works. You allow everyone to keep more of what they make. A rising tide floats all boats.


36 posted on 01/06/2014 12:58:18 PM PST by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
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To: sickoflibs

I heard some clown mention “income inequality” the other day. I said, “Congratulations! You’ve just moved from ‘Socialist’ to ‘Communist.’”


37 posted on 01/06/2014 1:02:24 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (H.L. Mencken: "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule.")
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To: jazusamo

“’Give’ more to the most “fortunate’”?

The mentality that a refund of YOUR money is “giving” money out of thin air has penetrated government spin itself.


38 posted on 01/06/2014 1:08:17 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Technological progress cannot be legislated.)
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To: jazusamo

Thank you for the post and ping, Jaz.

It makes me wonder who said it first. Was it just some commie lib trying to make fun of tax cuts, not believing that they increase revenue every time they’re tried?

I guess we’ll never know.


39 posted on 01/06/2014 1:53:24 PM PST by TheOldLady
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To: tet68
What Reagan said was a rising tide lifts all boats.

John Kennedy said that.

I think we must develop our natural resources. You cannot bring industry into Ohio unless you have clean rivers. I think the greatest asset that has happened to Ohio during the last few years, except for Governor Di Salle's election, was the building of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and I was proud, though I came from Massachusetts, to vote for it, because it is a national asset and a rising tide lifts all boats. If Ohio moves ahead, so will Massachusetts. [Applause.] Good water, power, transportation, those are necessary to develop the economy of the United States in the 1960's.

Remarks of Senator John F. Kennedy, Municipal Auditorium, Canton, Ohio September 27, 1960

40 posted on 01/06/2014 2:00:43 PM PST by itsahoot (It is not so much that history repeats, but that human nature does not change.)
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