Whenever I hear the Republicans touting an economic policy, it is usually at a very inappropriate phase of the economic cycle. I always hark back to an old folk tale that I heard as a child.
I finally found a retelling of the story online.
Whenever you hear about cutting the deficit when unemployment is high, or you hear about cutting taxes when the economy is booming, remember the following story. Just remember an economic policy action might be a good thing to do when it is applied to the right situation at the right time, but it can be a horrible thing to do in the wrong situation at the wrong time.
EPAMINONDAS
A Folk Tale Retold
Epaminondas lived with his mama in a little house on a hill. He was a sweet boy, but as his mama always said, not the brightest bulb in the lamp! Most days, Epaminondas went to visit his auntie. She lived on the other side of the hill. He loved to walk through the forest and cross the stream to her house. Most days she gave him something to take home.
One day Auntie gave Epaminondas half a cake. He grabbed it in his fists and carried it home. When he got there, it was smeared all over his hands. “What have you got there?” asked Mama.
“Cake, Mama,” said Epaminondas.
“Epaminondas, that’s no way to carry cake!” said Mama. “You wrap it in clean leaves and put it in your hat. Now will you remember that?”
“Yes, Mama,” said Epaminondas.
The next week, Auntie gave Epaminondas some fresh, sweet butter. He wrapped it in leaves and put it in his hat. It was a hot day. The butter began to melt and when he got home, it was all over him. His mama cried, “That’s no way to carry butter! You wrap it in leaves, cool it in the brook, and carry it home! Will you remember that?”
By and by, Auntie gave Epaminondas a puppy. He wrapped it in leaves, cooled it in the brook, and carried it home. His mama rubbed the poor shivering pup with a soft towel and fed it warm soup. “That’s no way to treat a puppy!” she said. “You tie a string around its neck, put it on the ground, and walk it home! Will you remember?”
“Yes, Mama,” said Epaminondas.
Today, Auntie gave Epaminondas a freshly-baked loaf of bread. He tied a string around it, put it on the ground, and walked home! The birds loved it because there were enough crumbs on the ground to feed a flock for a week! But when he got home, all he had left was a small, sticky lump of bread stuck to the string!
His mama shook her head and said, “No sense telling you any more, Epaminondas! Now I’m going to get more bread from Auntie. You see those pies cooling on the porch? They’re for the bake sale. While I’m gone, you mind how you step in those pies!”
Now we know she meant “be careful and don’t step in the pies,” but Epaminondas minded his mama. He stepped right in the middle of each pie! When his mama got home and saw the mess, she just laughed. “Oh, Epaminondas, you haven’t got the brains you were born with … but I love you anyway!” Then she gave him a big hug … and a slice of fresh bread.