The World is Not Zero Sum

Once again we travel back into the world of basic economics. As I have stated, I know that many of you that read my blog (thank you, by the way) understand economics. Unfortunately, there are too many that don't. Economics always makes sense, but it is not always obvious to the casual observer.

There seems to be two worlds in politics today. There is the real world in which most of us live. There is also the liberal ideologue world in which the President and his compatriots live.
In the President's world all things are "zero sum". If you get more successful, someone else must get poorer. If you benefit another loses. Life to them is a balance sheet where assets and liabilities must balance or something is very wrong.

This theory can be proven wrong empirically with no great effort. If it were so, the economy could never grow. But grow it does, when properly cared for. Therefore "zero sum" economics is a fallacy. But somehow it sticks like glue as part of the liberal ideology. They lay claim to an over weaning sense of fairness. As long as they get theirs first, they worry about the little people. They want to make sure no one gets too much, so no one has to little.

Isn't it wonderful that these brilliant intellectuals are willing to look out for us. Like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, our President, the Clintons. All those kind folk that got rich or richer milking the public cow. I think most people would just like to have these proprietors of the Nanny state off our back. Stop spending our money for their social experiments. Stop trying to control everything and let us live our lives.

The real world is not "zero sum". Ronald Reagan said it best when he said, "A rising tide raises all boats". Success breeds success, which breeds even more success. Then if we can keep enough of our hard earned money to invest it, the economy blossoms and flourishes. Opportunity abounds for all that want to take advantage of it.

It wasn't that many years ago when the unemployment rate was down under five percent. The only people that weren't working were those that didn't wish to. Now the nominal unemployment rate has been hovering around eight percent for five years. The real rate is up over fourteen percent. These numbers show no hope of immediate change and may get worse. 

They will never change as long as Obama continues with his tax, spend, and regulate philosophy. We can flourish again but huge changes must be made. The sooner the better. The longer this goes on, the longer the healing process.