Or do you think poor people will spend money to benefit the rich?
I can't stay away either.
In a consumer-based economy, which ours is the last time I looked, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS. Henry Ford knew that, and so did every other successful capitalist who "built a better mousetrap." After all, there have to be customers for those mousetraps and, hopefully, they will have enough money to buy them.
It's trickle up, not trickle down.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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It is CIRCULAR - and that is Keynes' theory. Trickle down by definition assumes an end to the flow at some point. It reminds me of that old saying, "I know s**t rolls down hill, but why am I always in the valley?".
I don't understand why some folks think a rich man's dollar spent on lawn care is more valuable to the economy than a poor man's dollar spent on food.
The other part of Keynes' theory that has never been adhered to by politicians of either party is that in good times, govt is supposed to slow its spending and pay off the debt.
Posts: 406 | From: La Grange, CA | Registered: Sep 2007
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Moving to another event, the 5 point "Obama bounce" could well be eroded by the developments in Libya.
Quite simply, "we got hit" - and on a 9/11 anniversary to boot. So far as I'm concerned, this matter will be "Red Meat" ("He can't keep us safe") for Rush and Sean with little room for Rachel and Arianna to counter.
Moving to another event, the 5 point "Obama bounce" could well be eroded by the developments in Libya.
Not likely, unless Obama totally misplays things. Rush, Sean, Rachel, and Arianna are not running, and the guy who is is totally clueless on foreign policy. He's already "fumbled" by getting his timeline wrong and criticizing a statement made BEFORE THE ACTUAL ATTACK in an attempt to defuse things. Anyway, all this is playing into the incumbent's hands because attention is drawn away from "THE ECONOMY, STUPID."
Obama never ran a lemonade stand, admittedly, but then Willard never took out OBL.
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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"Doesn't he know how to read his INTEL briefings?"
"Why didn't he get our diplomatic corps out of there?'
"President Bush kept us safe for seven years and five months; this guy can't. But I will"
"Diplomacy means the stongest armed forces on this planet. We will find the money to keep them so by identifying and eliminating meaningless and wasteful programs"
Stand by!!!
However, I am (pleasantly) surprised that the Dow has not fallen off a cliff Today.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Of course poor people "spend money to benefit the rich". They SPEND any money that have on goods & services from sources owned by the rich because they cannot afford to do otherwise.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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Random thoughts: "Trickle Down" is based on the old economic theory that rich people who keep more of their money put it into jobs that less well off Americans fill. That's changed. Now they invest it in manufactoring jobs in China, call centers in India, and banks in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. When the Fox News people recite the mantra that GWBush "kept us safe for 8 years", are they saying someone ELSE was President on 9/11/2001? And even discounting the one big day when he DIDN'T keep us safe, remember the Anthrax attack a short time later. I heard an interesting fable the other day: The Republicans are an elephant walking in a parade. The Democrats (or to some on this board, the President) are the guy following the elephant with a broom, shovel, and a wheeled trashcan. The elephant has just eaten, and he is doing major bowel movements on the street. Then he turns around and throws the guy's broom away. He continues down the street, relieving himself. He turns around again, and throws away the guy's shovel. Then he REALLY goes to town. He turns around once more, and says, "You're not cleaning this up fast enough!"
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by RR4me: It is CIRCULAR - and that is Keynes' theory. Trickle down by definition assumes an end to the flow at some point. It reminds me of that old saying, "I know s**t rolls down hill, but why am I always in the valley?".
I don't understand why some folks think a rich man's dollar spent on lawn care is more valuable to the economy than a poor man's dollar spent on food.
The other part of Keynes' theory that has never been adhered to by politicians of either party is that in good times, govt is supposed to slow its spending and pay off the debt.
Everything in our economy is interrelated, but the rich person has many more dollars to spend and can afford to HIRE people to do work his money can buy. Most rich people are holding onto their money due to the sorry state of affairs in our Nation and the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring. Taking money from them for our extremely wasteful government does not help our economy, it stifles our economy.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: Of course poor people "spend money to benefit the rich". They SPEND any money that have on goods & services from sources owned by the rich because they cannot afford to do otherwise.
No, they spend money to benefit themselves. They get that money from doing work rich people want done. There is nothing mysterious or difficult to understand about this basic fact. I just cannot see that poor person saying "Geez, Maserati looks like he could use some money, I'll go buy one of his cars to give him some of my money."
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Jerome Nicholson: Random thoughts: "Trickle Down" is based on the old economic theory that rich people who keep more of their money put it into jobs that less well off Americans fill. That's changed. Now they invest it in manufactoring jobs in China, call centers in India, and banks in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. When the Fox News people recite the mantra that GWBush "kept us safe for 8 years", are they saying someone ELSE was President on 9/11/2001? And even discounting the one big day when he DIDN'T keep us safe, remember the Anthrax attack a short time later. I heard an interesting fable the other day: The Republicans are an elephant walking in a parade. The Democrats (or to some on this board, the President) are the guy following the elephant with a broom, shovel, and a wheeled trashcan. The elephant has just eaten, and he is doing major bowel movements on the street. Then he turns around and throws the guy's broom away. He continues down the street, relieving himself. He turns around again, and throws away the guy's shovel. Then he REALLY goes to town. He turns around once more, and says, "You're not cleaning this up fast enough!"
There is not a single thing in your post that is real. It appears to be an emotionally-based fantasy. But that's OK. You may like living within your fantasy.
Posts: 1418 | From: Houston, Republic of Texas | Registered: Jan 2001
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While this 538 column appearing in Tomorrow's Times print edition shows that President Obama got a "convention bounce" and Gov. Romney did not, remember it was compiled PRIOR to 9/11-II (Libya).
Not sure if the damage will be enough to ensure Gov. Romney's election, but is sure hasn't helped the President. There's a lot of Red Meat to broil from this one, and the grill is just getting fired up.
Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I'm sickened by what is going on. Especially the media who conspired to attack Romney in his press conference. They were caught on a "hot mic" conspiring. I hope they will be fired. But what is going on right now in the mid-east is a direct result of this president's foreign policy (or lack thereof). We need an adult in the White House to put a stop to this, before ALL of us are destroyed by this man.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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