Rocking the vote isn't enough anymore
By Bailey Smith, Staff Writer
College students, this is for you!
How many ‘Rock the Vote’ signs have you seen?
How often do your professors, parents or political-science friends nag you about what your political affiliation is?
Do you even know what the basis of the major political parties in the United States are?
Let us examine the process a little closer and to do that we must crawl before we walk.
This was my first question: “What’s the difference between a Republican and a Democrat? Well, besides the donkey and the elephant...?”
According to Wiki-Pedia -- yes, I am citing Wiki -- this is the common definition and or source of information for the two major political parties in the United States of good ole, politically correct America.
“A Republican normally favors big business, the trickle-down theory, small government, high military spending, and is more likely to bring religion into the government than their Democratic counterparts who normally favor small business, the bubble-up theory, big government, low military spending, and separation of church and state.”
I am going to bet that most of America’s college students, by now, know what all those terms like ‘military spending’ and ‘religion’ mean.
There are a lot of elaborations, exceptions, etc. to those generalized characteristics of the parties.
I want to focus on the theories Wiki’s quote mentioned.
What is the trickle-down theory?
The online Economy Professor tells us that trickle-down is, ‘A theory of economic development that claims higher standards of living for the poor will develop gradually and not at the overt expense of the more affluent.’
Let me translate.
What trickles? Water.
If water were equivalent to wealth and we poured it over the top of the social class pyramid, what would happen?
The wealth starts at the top with big business and trickles down through the chain of command. Employees of these large companies will benefit from its wealth, and as these middle-class laymen ascend to upper-middle-class, investments will be made, money will be spent and another class level will move up to replace those that were just promoted.
Ideally, a low un-employment rate and low inflation will combine with the trickling money to raise America’s standard of living at all levels. The wealthy will stay wealthy and their spending will gradually lower the poverty line to less than a percentage point of the population.
That is the idea, anyway.
Ideas, ideas.
Some people say Communism looks good on paper, too. Let us discuss the Democrat’s economic theory.
What is the bubble-up theory?
I could not find any great definitions of this one, so I am just going to explain it the best way I can.
When tax breaks are given to the middle and lower classes, they will have more money to spend. The theory operating this theory is that the poor will spend more money than the rich will spend. When money is spent, the economy thrives. The more money that remains in the hands of the lower classes ideally equals the more money spent in our economy. When this money is invested into the chain of supply-and-demand, the richer classes will also benefit because big business is the supplier receiving the money.
These are the main economic theories of the two major government parties in the United States.
What economic theory do you support?
Both Republicans and Democrats will argue the validity of their side, but observations tend to prove that both are simply ideal theories.
So, was that information enough to help you decide what your affiliation is? Do you know what ticket you are going to vote on?
I hope not.
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