The Myth About Republicans Being Better For Economy

It seems like every poll I read says most voters think Republicans would do a better job with the economy than Democrats. Evidently, many voters have bought into the GOP claim that they are the party of economic success.

But it isn't true -- not in the past, and not now. In the past, Republicans ruled during the "Gilded Age". That was a time when the rich did very well, and most Americans suffered -- and it led directly to the Great Depression. It took a Democratic regime to pull the country out of that depression.

And things haven't changed. As the charts show, since World War II, economic growth has been significantly better under Democrats than Republicans. The average GDP growth under Democrats was 3.9%, while under Republicans it was only 2.5%.

And under the last Republican regime, that did not change. The only thing accomplished was to cut taxes significantly for the rich and corporations. Nothing was done to help the middle class, the working class, or the poor. Those groups just fell farther behind due to stagnant wages and inflation.

The truth is that Republicans don't care about the middle or working classes, or the poor. They have opposed everything that would help them.

* They opposed raising the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to a livable wage. They didn't care that this would lift millions of families out of poverty, and put upward pressure on wages for everyone (helping all classes).

* Republicans oppose making it easier for workers to unionize. Unions are the primary reason this country developed a vibrant middle class. But Republicans only care about the rich and corporations. They refuse to help workers get better pay and working conditions.

* Republicans oppose more help for the poor, including measures that would help lift them out of poverty. Measures like limiting the amount families must pay for child care are anathema to them. And they are the primary reason the Child Tax Credit could not be renewed (even though insignificantly reduced child poverty).

* Republicans oppose fair taxation. They oppose raising taxes on corporations and the rich, even though we have corporations and billionaires paying less of a tax percentage than many in the middle class -- and many paying nothing at all.

If you are rich, I understand why you might like Republican economic policies -- because you are the only person benefitting from their policies. But the rest of America needs to wake up. Republican policies are not good for you. They hurt the working class and the poor, and they keep the middle class from advancing.

Republicans do NOT do a better job with the economy. That's just a ridiculous myth!