While I don't consider myself an economic genius, I like to think that I have an understanding of base principles*. I understand that - like almost anyone else - my resources are measurably finite. I have a bank account that tends to go down more often than it goes up and I have a clock that ticks away the seconds and minutes. It's because of all of this that a lack of basic logic drives me nuts.... like the Broken Window Fallacy.

To put it simply (my paraphrasing):

If a branch breaks my window, numerous things happen. I spend more money at Home Depot buying a new window. I spend more money on gas to get the window. I probably pay someone to install the window. And all of those people have more money to spend. Therefore, it is a net good for the economy.

Bzzt. Wrong. And here's the problem: