So, The article you post make a “sweeping” declaration about real wages. In that article, the author also notes a large influx of workers into the workforce. This would include larger blocks of workers such as illegal immigrants and a larger percentage of women entering the workforce (since the 1950’s). As with any basic economic law, “if the supply increases, this puts downward pressure on the price”. The article on real wages makes an assent to explain the differential in wages such as lower income and more poorly educated, workers (some 20 million plus in the last forty years) coming into the marketplace. Nor does it explain wage differentials between women who work full time with no family and those that work part-time so as to raise a family (this could mean some men too). So what does this article prove? Does it prove that “trickle down” theory doesn’t work, as you state with an also “sweeping generality”, in the marketplace? What exactly do you mean by “trickledown economics”? What does “trickle down” really mean to folks? Do you mean “trickle down” in the sense of Henry Ford, who took an idea and had a bank account of only a few hundred dollars to start with (see the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan) to make the automobile an “every mans” vehicle, and who made a fortune for him and his family, but transformed the American landscape with affordable vehicles, which produced mobility, which produced the ability of the average worker to gain employment, and increased jobs and income for millions of people worldwide with the direct manufacture and distribution of the automobile, trucks and such, type of “trickle down”? The kind that produced dealerships that employ hundreds of thousands of people, still, and provide livelihood for them and their communities “trickle down”? Do you mean the Thomas Edison type of “trickle down” that produced such inventions as the electric light bulb and created jobs, income and wealth for millions of people in factories (that produce the light bulbs) and improved the lot of billions of people worldwide (and saved the environment and animals to a healthy degree by decreasing the use of kerosene, the killing of whales for whale oil, and the burning of millions and millions of candles with their carbon discharge) type of “trickle down”? Do you mean the “trickle down” like the investors (wealthy people, venture capitalists, and investment companies) who listen to an idea like one from a Bill Gates and finance it so that it becomes a Microsoft, and then employs billions worldwide in the direct manufacture of the PC and all its related industries type of “trickle down”? You mean the type that allows a Bill and Melinda Gates to give $658 million of their own money to start a foundation that now has billions in assets and helps to provide a wide range of benefits to the poor and underprivileged such as (http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2011/11/02/the-sec..., type of “trickle down”? Drat those tax cuts (in the 1980’s) for the wealthy!!!! Do you mean Steve Jobs type of “trickle down” (again with an idea and financial backing of those “evil rich people”) that created Apple and employs hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and has given us such marvelous inventions such as the personal computer, the iPhone, the iPad, and such that improve productivity and help spur related industries such as the personal Smartphone and its stores and such companies such as Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and that employ hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and improves the lots of millions (you probably use one or more of those devices as you decry the very economic catalyst that gave you those devices) against “trickle-down theory”. Is this the type of “trickle down” that you mean? Here’s a few who might disagree with your statement on “trickle down” and on real wages.

Steve Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/special-report/2012/freedom-manifesto-...

Thomas Sowell: http://www.tsowell.com/images/Hoover%20Proof.pdf

http://capitalismmagazine.com/2001/09/the-trickle-down-econo.../

Brookings Institution” http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/reports/2008...

And one more, how about the story of John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods (who makes much more than the cashier at one of the stores – and should!) who has improved the lot of thousands of employees, thousands of food growers, thousands of people of work at companies that supply Whole Foods with bags, containers, and other support items. Below are a few thoughts from him to muse about in your accusation that “trickle down doesn’t work”. Is this the type of “trickle down” that you mean? http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/01/15/john-mack.../

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTexYu2qBOk

http://www.amazon.com/The-Morality-Capitalism-What-Professor...

Is this the type of “trickle down” that created the disparity that was more than evidently discovered when the Berlin Wall came down, between West and East Germany. The Eastern Germanic block had a more “fair” income distribution (except those at the top of course) for all the workers, and was more egalitarian in terms of “economic justice” (that is spouted about today), but was about 30 years behind West Germany (with a more market oriented, capitalistic “trickle down” approach). The East lagged behind the West in terms of standard of living, education, manufacturing, housing, transportation, medicine and all types of other “modern day conveniences”. Why, because their system, while providing a more level economic “playing field”, depressed innovation, depressed the growth of markets, depressed economic growth, and the like not to mention the absolute depression of personal freedoms, liberties and choice of vocation that we here in America (at least for now) enjoy and take for granted. Would you rather have this model with its egalitarian, utopian intent, but its failure as an economic model? How about Cuba then? Aren’t they just the envy of the world?

There are thousands and thousands of wealthy people, investors and business owners alike, who are inclined to help others with the blessings that they have acquired. To say, again, that all wealthy people are greedy, Wall Street type robber barons, such as a Bernie Madoff, is a false misnomer! To say that those who invest don’t create wealth for others is an absolute falsehood and is debunked by history itself! Those capitalistic “trickle down” type economies have produced more wealth and improved lots in life for billions worldwide than any other types of economies in history. Usually, the detractors of “trickle down” theory are those from the academic elite (who might be tainted with the Marxist “egalitarian” view of economics) who, instead of producing an idea or company that does what those mentioned above did, are content to sit in the bleachers and pick apart the things that other people do. I am not against education and enlightenment and opinions, but few who have actually been on the field and “done it” would spout off such tirades against the very system that allows them to sit in their prestigious university posts (partially or fully supported by taxpayers) and fulfill what Theodore Roosevelt said in his famous quote: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt