---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If increasing income equality is the…"
description: "\"If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be wiser to put money into infrastructure than to subsidize manufacturing. Construction also pays g..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg"
---

#  If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be…

![“If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be wiser to put money into infrastructure than to subsidize manufacturing. Construction also pays good wages, but with lower educational requirements. And America's infrastructure needs are enormous.” quote by Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg)

> “If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be wiser to put money into infrastructure than to subsidize manufacturing. Construction also pays good wages, but with lower educational requirements. And America's infrastructure needs are enormous.”

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Investing in infrastructure may reduce income inequality more effectively than subsidizing manufacturing, due to higher wages and lower skill barriers.

**In simple terms:** Infrastructure jobs can lower inequality.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize public works spending.

Themes

economics policy inequality

Mood

analytical optimistic

Type

policy strategic

When to use this quote

- government budgeting
- urban development
- education planning

Key Concepts

public finance labor markets

Questions to Reflect On

- How can policymakers ensure infrastructure projects benefit low‑skill workers?
- What safeguards prevent wasteful spending?

A Different Perspective

Infrastructure projects can face delays and political resistance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Infrastructure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infrastructure/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Wages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wages/)

## Related quotes

> [While America's infrastructure needs are substantial, there is no reason to delay completion of the highway bill. Every day of delay means jobs lost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/while-america-s-infrastructure-needs-are-substantial-there-is-no/)

[John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/)

> [New Mexico has many infrastructure needs in order to ensure our agriculture, tourism, national laboratories and overall economy can grow and thrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ray-lujan/new-mexico-has-many-infrastructure-needs-in-order-to-ensure-our/)

[Ben Ray Lujan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-ray-lujan/)

> [For too long, infrastructure needs in this state have been ignored, but by partnering with state, local and federal officials, we can make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/for-too-long-infrastructure-needs-in-this-state-have-been-ignored-but/)

[John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/)

> [I agree with people who say we want more income equality; we want more consumer protection; and we want sounder banks. I agree with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-agree-with-people-who-say-we-want-more-income-equality-we-want-more/)

[Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/)

> [Our nation's infrastructure needs are tremendous, and they're growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lipinski/our-nation-s-infrastructure-needs-are-tremendous-and-they-re-growing/)

[Bill Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lipinski/)

> [“Making the rich poorer does not make the poor richer, but it does make the state stronger—and it does increase the power of officials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-joseph/making-the-rich-poorer-does-not-make-the-poor-richer-but-it-does-make/)

Keith Joseph

> [Obviously, overall infrastructure needs on the Southwest and Northern borders are mounting. We need a major push in Congress to remedy this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-domenici/obviously-overall-infrastructure-needs-on-the-southwest-and-northern/)

[Pete Domenici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-domenici/)

> [What the hell is social justice? What sort of fool can imagine income equality as dictated by bureaucrats and government thugs? I dare anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/what-the-hell-is-social-justice-what-sort-of-fool-can-imagine-income/)

[Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/)

> [My generation took on political equality. I believe young people, who have graduated into a poor economy, have an incentive to take on much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-holmes-norton/my-generation-took-on-political-equality-i-believe-young-people-who/)

[Eleanor Holmes Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-holmes-norton/)

> [We will have bigger bureaucracies, bigger labor unions, and bigger state-run corporations. It will be harder to be an entrepreneur because of punitive taxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-brooks/we-will-have-bigger-bureaucracies-bigger-labor-unions-and-bigger/)

[Arthur C. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-brooks/)

> [We need to upgrade and modernize America's infrastructure.Our budget is going to have to figure out how to balance those priorities and pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-need-to-upgrade-and-modernize-america-s-infrastructure-our-budget/)

[Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/)

> [Science is definitely part of America's infrastructure, the engine of prosperity. And yet science is given almost no visibility in the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/science-is-definitely-part-of-america-s-infrastructure-the-engine-of/)

[Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/)

> [America's infrastructure was once the envy of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pruitt/america-s-infrastructure-was-once-the-envy-of-the-world/)

[Scott Pruitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pruitt/)

> [In America, we have an infrastructure that's so bad, our roads, our highways, our schools, our tunnels, our bridges. Look at our bridges. Half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-america-we-have-an-infrastructure-that-s-so-bad-our-roads-our/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [“America’s infrastructure is now so wretched that, in some areas, the only people who drive straight are the drunks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-s-infrastructure-is-now-so-wretched-that-in-some-areas-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Christina Romer

> [I think something that forces financial institutions to write down underwater mortgages, I think, would be a sensible thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/i-think-something-that-forces-financial-institutions-to-write-down/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [I think where I differ a little bit, we absolutely have to think about the deficit looking down the road. And certainly that's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/i-think-where-i-differ-a-little-bit-we-absolutely-have-to-think-about/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [You care about the deficit because it allows you to do things you need to do to help people who are suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/you-care-about-the-deficit-because-it-allows-you-to-do-things-you/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [The central question is whether Medicare and Medicaid should remain entitlement programs guaranteeing a certain amount of care, as Democrats believe, or become defined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/the-central-question-is-whether-medicare-and-medicaid-should-remain/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [The stock market crash in October 1929 didn't destroy a particularly large amount of wealth or make people highly pessimistic. Rather, it made companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/the-stock-market-crash-in-october-1929-didn-t-destroy-a-particularly/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [Tax increases appear to have a very large sustained and highly significant negative impact on output. Since most of our exogenous tax changes are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/tax-increases-appear-to-have-a-very-large-sustained-and-highly/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [The most effective way to shake an economy out of a terrible downturn when we're at the zero lower bound is an aggressive change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/the-most-effective-way-to-shake-an-economy-out-of-a-terrible-downturn/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [Thanks to former President George W. Bush - remember the compassionate conservative? - I have a good name for the fundamental principle that should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/thanks-to-former-president-george-w-bush-remember-the-compassionate/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [President Obama has repeatedly urged Congress to let the Bush tax cuts expire for those earning more than $250,000 a year. Increasing rates on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/president-obama-has-repeatedly-urged-congress-to-let-the-bush-tax/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [If every other store in town is paying workers $9 an hour, one offering $8 will find it hard to hire anyone - perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-every-other-store-in-town-is-paying-workers-9-an-hour-one-offering/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [There's a joke in economics about the drunk who loses his keys in the street but only looks for them under the lightposts. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/there-s-a-joke-in-economics-about-the-drunk-who-loses-his-keys-in-the/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [Recovery measures work better when they raise confidence - as Franklin D. Roosevelt understood. His fireside chats, and his inaugural address proclaiming he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/recovery-measures-work-better-when-they-raise-confidence-as-franklin/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [Making labor less expensive helps firms hire people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/making-labor-less-expensive-helps-firms-hire-people/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [The stimulus legislation, technically known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was a mixture of tax cuts for families and businesses;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/the-stimulus-legislation-technically-known-as-the-american-recovery/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

> [Tax increases appear to have a very large sustained and highly significant negative impact on output.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/tax-increases-appear-to-have-a-very-large-sustained-and-highly-2/)

[Christina Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

[Explore all 41 Christina Romer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/)

## More America quotes

> [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/)

[Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/)

[Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/)

> [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/)

[Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

[Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be wiser to put money into infrastructure than to subsidize manufacturing. Construction also pays good wages, but with lower educational requirements. And America's infrastructure needs are enormous.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christina Romer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goal-it-might-be-wiser-to-put/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "America"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goal-it-might-be-wiser-to-put/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/220/christina-romer-16059_america_if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goa_1119205.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If increasing income equality is the goal, it might be wiser to put money into infrastructure than to…” — Christina Romer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Christina Romer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-romer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If increasing income equality is the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goal-it-might-be-wiser-to-put/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-romer/if-increasing-income-equality-is-the-goal-it-might-be-wiser-to-put/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
