Untrue Things that Many "know"

There is something in the American psyche that seeks explanation of events through some form of conspiracy. When a fact or event is presented that is either traumatic or contrary to predisposed opinions, one of our first approaches is to look for an evil or secret conspiracy. Moreover there are a vast number of urban legends out there that a portion of the public hold dear.

This is hardly a new phenomenon; examples run from Colonial days through the "Birther" silliness of today. Even now, there are rumors and emails coursing through the Internet that Osama bin Laden was not killed by United States forces; on the other hand, there was a story out of India that bin Laden's body had washed ashore in that country.

Some of the untrue "truths" are spread and maintained by political operatives and used to demonize or demean political opponents. In today's super-partisan climate, a substantial percentage of otherwise intelligent people remain convinced that Barack Obama is a socialist, Kenyan-born individual who did not attend Harvard Law School (he was Editor of the Law Review), is really Barry Soetoro (the name of his step-father), traveled on an Indonesian or Kenyan passport (he didn't) and that he is a Muslim (and also a long-time member of a radical Christian congregation). There is never enough evidence to displace the belief.

But some of the beliefs, if not certainties, held by significant numbers of people, are not necessarily politically motivated; some are just attempts to rationalize events that seem incredible. And some are just the product of poor education and a failure to acknowledge error.

An example of the last is the adoption by many politicians of the theory of "supply-side" economics as opposed to the more traditional Keynesian theory. The former, also known as the "trickle down" theory postulates, at an elementary level, that lowering corporate and capital gains tax rates will not reduce government revenues but, by stimulating investment and business prosperity, the economy will grow. Some years ago, George H.W. Bush denigrated the concept as "voo-doo economics; he later embraced it and when compelled to increase taxes, was booted out of office. Ronald Reagan famously and repeatedly called for smaller government and fewer taxes, especially on corporations and significant investors, yet he, too, proposed and approved legislation that increased taxes.

Along with lowering taxes, the supply-side folks believe in reducing government regulations on the theory that corporations and businesses will regulate themselves and act in a moral manner, even at the cost of profit. Pure unfettered capitalism ignores the prime, if not only, obligation of business: to provide profit for owners and investors.

The results of the refusal to face reality and increase government revenue (i.e., raise taxes) by both parties are the burdensome debt, the elimination of services and the economic chaos we now face.

The traditional Keynesian economic theory holds that government has an active role to play. In times of prosperity, the role of government is, or should be, minimal. In times of economic distress, a recession for example, the role of government needs to be expanded, salvaging the society's safety net.

The "trickle-down" theory simply has been proven to be false. In the words of Calvin Trillin,

"If you await a downward trickle,
You've just received a wooden nickel."

And

"It's always bad to tax the rich.
They stimulate with every nickel.
Their money helps us all. Its sound
Is trickle, trickle, trickle, trickle."

Facts and experience are not substitutes for self-serving political rhetoric! In the case of taxation, revenue and government pending, too many politicians of both parties pander to the public and refuse to risk failure at the polls.

Belief in many urban legends does no real harm. A portion of the American public is convinced that the moon landings were created on a Hollywood sound stage, that aliens from outer space crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, that their bodies are being examined and stored at Area 51 in Nevada and that Saddam Hussein was a star in 64 pornographic movies.

On the other hand, the ranting of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann does cause harm to the extent that people become focused of their loony talk in lieu of confronting reality. Reality is just what we need. Florida's just completed Legislative session illustrates refusal to address real problems in lieu of frivolous ones. This state has an opposition and veto proof Republican majority; our Governor ("Vote for me, I wasn't indicted) Rick Scott is oblivious to reality and the needs of people less rich than he. Florida is about to have new laws placing irrelevant conditions precedent to legal abortion choices by women, dramatically cutting education funding, reducing access to elections and polling places, requiring Medicaid patients to be in managed care programs run by organizations that have a dismal track record in the state but allowing additional profit to those organizations.

It isn't easy living in a democracy; it takes a lot of work. Our system demands attention and personal accountability to be informed. Otherwise, they'll win and you'll lose.