Ask Marilyn: Growing Catnip and the Economy

A. Leery of Phoenix, Oregon, writes:

Marilyn: Does the phrase "grow the economy" make anyone else's ears bleed like it does mine?

Marilyn responds:

Welcome to the club! I'm all in favor of grammar simplification, but this example sounds juvenile—as if one is rewording the phrase "expand the economy" for a child. Not that a child would know the word "economy." So using the phrase seems to be talking down to adults.