---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: President Reagan preached 'trickle down…"
description: "\"President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but naively did not reckon on the fact that the wealthy would only care about getting more for thems..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png"
---

#  President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but…

![“President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but naively did not reckon on the fact that the wealthy would only care about getting more for themselves instead of caring about helping those with less.” quote by Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png)

> “President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but naively did not reckon on the fact that the wealthy would only care about getting more for themselves instead of caring about helping those with less.”

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

## About This Quote

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

The policy assumes wealth will trickle down, but the rich often prioritize personal gain over helping the poor.

**In simple terms:** Wealthy may not share benefits with the poor.

Key Takeaway

Consider policies that align incentives for broader benefit.

Themes

economics politics inequality policy wealth

Mood

critical thoughtful analytical

Type

political economic philosophical

When to use this quote

- tax reform
- social welfare programs
- corporate responsibility
- community investment

Key Concepts

trickle‑down theory self‑interest public good

Questions to Reflect On

- How might incentives be structured to encourage sharing?
- What are alternative ways to reduce inequality?

A Different Perspective

Assumes all wealthy act uniformly, ignoring diverse motivations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/)

## Related quotes

> [When others spoke of the fear of war, you spoke of the need for warriors and peace through strength. When others bewailed the failure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-others-spoke-of-the-fear-of-war-you-spoke-of-the-need-for/)

[Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/)

> [The Republican party is not the party for the wealthy. We care about everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronna-mcdaniel/the-republican-party-is-not-the-party-for-the-wealthy-we-care-about/)

[Ronna McDaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronna-mcdaniel/)

> [My friends, that's trickle-down economics, and I believe every worker in America is tired of being trickled on by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/my-friends-that-s-trickle-down-economics-and-i-believe-every-worker/)

[John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/)

> [We've had trickle down economics in the country for ten years now, and most of us aren't even damp yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/we-ve-had-trickle-down-economics-in-the-country-for-ten-years-now-and/)

[Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/)

> [The difficulty for the Government is there's this ideological straitjacket of the market will provide, let the market rip and everything will work out...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-grady/the-difficulty-for-the-government-is-there-s-this-ideological/)

[Frances O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-grady/)

> [But can we please stop insisting that if low-wage workers earn a little bit more, unemployment will skyrocket and the economy will collapse? There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hanauer/but-can-we-please-stop-insisting-that-if-low-wage-workers-earn-a/)

[Nick Hanauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hanauer/)

> [Trickle-down economics doesn't work, but we need the power and innovation that comes from the free enterprise system. There's no way we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ryan/trickle-down-economics-doesn-t-work-but-we-need-the-power-and/)

[Tim Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ryan/)

> [Now it is unambiguously clear that trickle-down economics does not work. But what does that mean? That means we have to structure our economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/now-it-is-unambiguously-clear-that-trickle-down-economics-does-not/)

[Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/)

> [ The kind of plan that Donald \[Tramp\] has put forth would be trickle-down economics all over again. In fact, it would be the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-kind-of-plan-that-donald-tramp-has-put-forth-would-be-trickle/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Thomas Piketty assembles the facts to prove a central point about trickle-down economics: Doesn't work. Never did. He has cold, hard data showing how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/thomas-piketty-assembles-the-facts-to-prove-a-central-point-about/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [Trickle-down economics - it didn't work. The whole idea was supply-side economics: give rich people a lot of money; they'll spend it, it'll go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-fitzsimmons/trickle-down-economics-it-didn-t-work-the-whole-idea-was-supply-side/)

[Greg Fitzsimmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-fitzsimmons/)

> [I don't believe in trickle-down economics. I don't think that people who have the most are inclined to share it, generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/i-don-t-believe-in-trickle-down-economics-i-don-t-think-that-people/)

[Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/)

> [ \[Donald\] Trump and all the Republicans believe in the theory of trickle down economics which is a theory discredited even by the author himself… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/donald-trump-and-all-the-republicans-believe-in-the-theory-of-trickle/)

[Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/)

> [Trickle-down economics is a myth. Enriching corporations - as the TPP would - will not necessarily help those in the middle, let alone those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/trickle-down-economics-is-a-myth-enriching-corporations-as-the-tpp/)

[Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/)

> [“Ever notice how the same politicians who claim to be against trickle-down economics have no problem bailing out banks and other politically connected businesses?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-m-mcgroarty/ever-notice-how-the-same-politicians-who-claim-to-be-against-trickle/)

[Colin M. McGroarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-m-mcgroarty/)

## More by Mark Goulston

> [The most influential people strive for genuine buy-in and commitment - they don't rely on compliance techniques that only secure short-term persuasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/the-most-influential-people-strive-for-genuine-buy-in-and-commitment/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [When you know you haven't been connecting with, persuading, or getting through to someone, consciously pause before meeting them and say to yourself, 'During…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-know-you-haven-t-been-connecting-with-persuading-or-getting/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [Too often, founders make decisions before determining whether they are the right thing to do. These decisions often create chaos in their companies where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/too-often-founders-make-decisions-before-determining-whether-they-are/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [If fun puts a smile on your face, beauty and elegance put a smile in your heart and take your breath away. It's longer-lasting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/if-fun-puts-a-smile-on-your-face-beauty-and-elegance-put-a-smile-in/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [The crux is this: you can't be sincerely empathic towards and angry at someone at the same moment. In other words, you can't walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/the-crux-is-this-you-can-t-be-sincerely-empathic-towards-and-angry-at/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [As a general rule, when your child, or anyone in the work force, doesn't know what he/she wants to do, they should instead always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/as-a-general-rule-when-your-child-or-anyone-in-the-work-force-doesn-t/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [People act on what they want more often than what they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/people-act-on-what-they-want-more-often-than-what-they-need/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [Presence is in the eye and ear and gut of the beholder. When you are totally present in a conversation or in a meeting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/presence-is-in-the-eye-and-ear-and-gut-of-the-beholder-when-you-are/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [When you're trying to persuade people, more often than not, they feel you're being pushy. When you focus on influencing them, they're much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/when-you-re-trying-to-persuade-people-more-often-than-not-they-feel/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [One of the reasons it is so difficult to break a connection to something or someone you have imprinted on is that after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/one-of-the-reasons-it-is-so-difficult-to-break-a-connection-to/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [Gen X entrepreneurs are frequently smart, tough, tenacious, and self-made. That said, to succeed in their companies, they often have sacrificed being emotionally involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/gen-x-entrepreneurs-are-frequently-smart-tough-tenacious-and-self/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [In my life, I think I have had more than two hundred significant breakthroughs that exponentially accelerated my life forward. However, each and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/in-my-life-i-think-i-have-had-more-than-two-hundred-significant/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [Happy couples resist the temptation to go to bed at different times. They go to bed at the same time, even if one partner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/happy-couples-resist-the-temptation-to-go-to-bed-at-different-times/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [You can't create more jobs for an economy where the vast majority of people are hesitant and even afraid to spend and buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/you-can-t-create-more-jobs-for-an-economy-where-the-vast-majority-of/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

> [Few things detract more from your credibility and the respect of your colleagues and peers than being called on the carpet to deflect accusations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/few-things-detract-more-from-your-credibility-and-the-respect-of-your/)

[Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

[Explore all 115 Mark Goulston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/)

## More Caring quotes

> [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [There is nothing about myself that I wouldn't reveal or write about. I don't care how horrendous or ridiculous I may appear in person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/there-is-nothing-about-myself-that-i-wouldn-t-reveal-or-write-about-i/)

[Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/)

> [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [A happy family needs a loving and caring father, and he who knows how to be a mother sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-family-needs-a-loving-and-caring-father-and-he-who-knows-how/)

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

> [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [Just remember that when nobody was there for you, I was. And when nobody else gave a damn, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-remember-that-when-nobody-was-there-for-you-i-was-and-when/)

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

> [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [Hmmm! life zz about caring the life that u have as the rest of the things are of secondary value tc n ks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sardar-hyder-abbas/hmmm-life-zz-about-caring-the-life-that-u-have-as-the-rest-of-the/)

[Sardar Hyder Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sardar-hyder-abbas/)

> [You can't make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved ,the rest is up to the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-make-someone-love-you-all-you-can-do-is-be-someone-who-can/)

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

> [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [When you're 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you're 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you're 60 you realize no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-you-re-20-you-care-what-everyone-thinks-when-you-re-40-you-stop/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [“English: "Being an adult doesn't mean killing the child we once were; it means being able to protect him." Česky: „Být dospělým neznamená zabít…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebasti-n-wortys/english-being-an-adult-doesn-t-mean-killing-the-child-we-once-were-it/)

[Sebastián Wortys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebasti-n-wortys/)

> [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/)

[Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/)

> [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

[Browse all 2,651 Caring quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but naively did not reckon on the fact that the wealthy would only care about getting more for themselves instead of caring about helping those with less.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Goulston"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-economics-but-naively-did-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Caring"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-economics-but-naively-did-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/mark-goulston-4177_caring_president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-e_485693.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics' but naively did not reckon on the fact that the wealthy…” — Mark Goulston",
                "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": "Mark Goulston",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "President Reagan preached 'trickle down economics'...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-economics-but-naively-did-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/president-reagan-preached-trickle-down-economics-but-naively-did-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
