You might be a progressive if you believe that the wealth you want for social programs simply materializes for politicians to send where it’s needed.
This column by Victor Davis Hanson observes that such a belief is false. He writes, “We have forgotten what wealth is — and how tenuous our grip on the good life is. Riches are created by educated and skilled workers who directly translate natural resources into commodities that make life easier.”
I’ll add that if people manage to do that efficiently, they earn wealth for themselves, but then make themselves the targets of politicians who want to exploit their wealth to gain votes.
