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Robert Reich: The 3 biggest myths plaguing the U.S. economy
Salon ^ | March 12, 2015 | Robert Reich

Posted on 03/12/2015 1:33:02 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

1. The “job creators” are CEOs, corporations, and the rich, whose taxes must be low in order to induce them to create more jobs. Rubbish. The real job creators are the vast middle class and the poor, whose spending induces businesses to create jobs. Which is why raising the minimum wage, extending overtime protection, enlarging the Earned Income Tax Credit, and reducing middle-class taxes are all necessary.

2. The critical choice is between the “free market” or “government.” Baloney. The free market doesn’t exist in nature. It’s created and enforced by government. And all the ongoing decisions about how it’s organized – what gets patent protection and for how long (the human genome?), who can declare bankruptcy (corporations? homeowners? student debtors?), what contracts are fraudulent (insider trading?) or coercive (predatory loans? mandatory arbitration?), and how much market power is excessive (Comcast and Time Warner?) – depend on government.

3. We should worry most about the size of government. Wrong. We should worry about who government is for. When big money from giant corporations and Wall Street inundate our politics, all decisions relating to #1 and #2 above become rigged against average working Americans.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: economy; freemarket; jobs; reich; robertreich; stubbs; taxes
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
HEADLINE: Robert Reich is one of the 3 biggest myths plaguing the U.S. economy

There. I fixed it.

81 posted on 03/14/2015 12:46:10 PM PDT by Gritty (Between Iran and ISIS, the enemy of my enemy is ... my enemy! - Benjamin Netanyahu)
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To: Carthego delenda est

180 degrees wrong! The free market exists without government. Even on a deserted island two castaways would trade coconuts and papayas without any federal agency’s approval or oversight!


82 posted on 03/14/2015 2:59:19 PM PDT by cartoonistx
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To: cartoonistx

Sometimes I think I’m ok without adding a sarcasm tag. Oh well.


83 posted on 03/14/2015 4:59:39 PM PDT by Carthego delenda est
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