People Know The Economy Is Good - And Know It's Unfair

The chart above reflects the result of the newest Monmouth University Poll - done between February 8th and 12th of a nationwide sample of 902 adults, with a 4.1 point margin of error.

Right-wing news sources have been telling Americans the economy is bad. Major media sources have been reporting the economy is good. Which is it?

The major indicators (GDP growth, Unemployment rate, inflation rate, etc.) are all good. In fact, the U.S. economy is doing better than the economies of any of our friends (in Europe and Asia).

Note on the chart above though that the economy is not necessarily good for everyone. Only 33% say their family has benefitted some or a lot from the good economy. About 64% say the opposite. Why, if we have such a good economy, are most people not benefitting from it?

It's because a good economy doesn't mean it's a fair economy, and the U.S. economy is very unfair. The top 10% (and especially the top 1%) are doing very well in this good economy. But most of the bottom 90% of Americans are not. They are struggling to keep up with inflation (even though the inflation rate is falling).

Why is this? It's because the Republicans have had the power to control economic policy since about 1980, and they have a very simplistic economic viewpoint. They believe the key to a good economy is making sure those at the top can make more. They believe the rich will then share their new wealth with everyone else. Unfortunately, that view doesn't consider one important ingredient - GREED.

This GOP "trickle-down" theory of economics has never worked. Those at the top have seen their bank accounts fattened immensely, but they have not allowed much, if any, to trickle down to the masses.

Before 1980, the economy was much fairer. Rising productivity was shared between the wealthy, middle and working classes. Everyone benefitted. But after the GOP policies were enacted, the economic playing field was tilted to benefit the rich (to the detriment of everyone else).

Democrats have been trying to tell voters that the economy is good. They need to stop saying that, because the economy is good only for a few. They need to concentrate on how unfair the economy is, and explain to voters how they can make the economy more fair for everyone. After all, for someone not benefitting from a good economy, it's not a good economy.