We have long understood that it is not income that matters, but consumption. A smart or cynical politician would see that if somehow middle-class households’ consumption kept up, if they could afford a new car every few years and the occasional exotic holiday, perhaps they would pay less attention to their stagnant paychecks.
另外，任何改革都需要经历数年才能见到成效，所以不能满足选民们当下的诉求。政客们只好寻找其他捷径来安抚选民。我们早已知道，消费而不是收入才是关键因素。一个聪明或愤激的政客会意识到，如果一个中产阶级家庭的消费增加了，隔几年换一辆新车、偶尔去国外度度假，也许选民就不会太在意自己的薪水停滞不前了。