The Politics of Greed

This year past has given me the chance to re-examine some of my political views. One in particular I have thought through is shifting... Economic policies.

Please don’t read this like I know what I talking about, because my understanding of Economics and Politics is, admittedly, limited. In college, I once had an MACRO-economics class and did not understand why I was so lost and failing the class, until I realized I bought a MIRCO-economics book. So, much for my career in the BIG Business.

Anyway, here are my thoughts:

I used to think a good way to stimulate the economy and raise the standard of living for people in the United States was to give tax breaks to big companies, allow them certain cost saving concessions and to make sure they grow and expand. All of this with the hope that these companies could employee more people, make better products and increase wages and benefits. I think this would be called “trickle down” economics. Pour time and money in at the top and the people at the bottom will eventually benefit.

Here is the problem with this kind of thinking: Greed! Businesses and Corporations exist to make money, bottom line! Forget better products, forget customer service and forget about employee care. These are only a means to an end. Money drives business. So, if we allow tax break, saving concessions and other financial win falls for business, at the expense of direct help to the people, I suspect, due to greed, the people at the bottom will never see the benefits given at the top. When the point is to make money, why give it away? The only reason would be in the hope that what you spend on wages/benefits, innovations and customer service will return in increased profits and more money. Our sinful propensity towards greed will not allow us to altruistly pass on to others the good that we receive.

On the other hand, greed works the same for “bottom up” economics, but with a little different outcome.

If government polices were in place to give tax breaks and stimulus packages to the people, along with increase minimum wages increase, people would have more money and with more control of how it is handled. However, because we are greedy and jealous, we most likely would spend it because we saw the new Wii House Cleaning is out or that our friend has a 47 inch LCD TV and we don’t. In the end Americans are not good at reducing debt or increasing savings. Most often when we receive a financial break, a raise or an economic upswing, we find ways to exhaust the boon. This helps out the business and corporations as we spend our money at the Apple Store, Wal-Mart or Home Depot. Greed will not allow us to be content with what we have when the potential to have more is at our fingertips!

Greed cuts both ways: one to hold and horde and the other spend and satisfy. At least with “bottom up” economics we only have ourselves to blame for our debt and inability to live securely with peace of mind.