[sliverstorm]

I don't think anyone figures it makes the most balanced society, they just see it as the most realistic way to help the people at the bottom of the structure. Basically applying "Rising tide lifts all boats" in the opposite direction as the liberals, tops-down instead of bottoms-up.

[kjackson2012]

Based on every single piece of study, this is categorically false. The only people that have benefited, most recently since the credit crisis, was the rich. That means that the "rising tide" barely lifts poor peoples' boats, while it raises rich people's boats significantly. If that were the case, then do you still think that trickle down economics is worthwhile? Or is there a more efficient allocation scheme where poor people benefit just as much as rich people?

[digz]

You're cherry picking a period which actually helps to make sliverstorm's point: The last few years have been categorized by significant increases in taxes, and regulatory burden, which cause uncertainty in the business environment and more pain for the middle class.

Unfortunately, historically, all the evidence supports the 'rising tide lifts all boats' argument. While growth 'at the bottom' has slowed compared to the top, it's still growing. There are plenty of theories for why this is the case, but the data is is there.