Sunday, October 19, 2008

Trickle Down Economics: Pissing on the Poor

Conservative Republicans have traditionally been against the rich paying higher taxes, believing that tax breaks for businesses and corporations will ultimately help those further down the economic ladder. They believe that businesses receiving such breaks will presumably pass the good fortune on by creating more jobs, giving employees better pay and more benefits, which will in turn further stimulate the economy.

This sounds very nice on paper, but real life is quite a bit more complicated than that. The one essential factor left out of the trickle down fantasy is greed.

We must remember that businesses do not exist to help people to make a living. Businesses are started to help the business owners MAKE MONEY, period. Business owners consider the salaries paid and whatever benefits provided to employees as unavoidable business expenses -- and every business owner wants to minimize expenses, while maximizing profits. Thus, business owners seek to pay employees as little as they can get away with, as well providing the fewest benefits possible, all in the interest of minimizing expenses.

If anyone believes that corporate America actually cares about their employees' well-being, then I've got a bridge in Manhattan I'll be willing to sell to you.

As far as I'm concerned, trickle-down economics is just a euphemism for pissing on the poor.

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