The lie of "trickle down economics"

This snarky turn of phrase shows up nowhere in serious economics. Plenty of lefty critics of capitalism complain about "trickle down economics" when talking about free-market capitalism, but people who argue for free-market capitalism don't actually use the term.

The term “trickle down economics” is another example of the left using loaded language in order to poison the well against their opponents, and thereby avoid honest policy debates. The historical and international evidence is overwhelming that free-market capitalism is the only sustainable way to bring millions of people out of poverty. Economic theory is clear that reducing barriers to trade and commerce is crucial for driving higher productivity and higher wages. If forced to debate on the evidence or theory, then the left struggle -- so instead they rely on dishonest strawman arguments and cheap emotional manipulation.

The reality of wealth is that it's not a zero-sum game. The standard assumption among the left (including many in the media) is that some people can only benefit if other people lose. That's why they often frame policy debates through the lens of how money is being redistributed. The beauty of market capitalism is that everybody involved in the transactions are able to benefit. That is why they voluntarily agree to the trade in the first place. By reducing barriers to trade (lower taxes and less regulation) there are more opportunities for more people to find more ways to cooperate with each other, creating more win-win exchanges, which is the engine of economic growth.