You might be a progressive if…

you believe that:

… increasing the cost of smoking by raising cigarette taxes will reduce the amount of cigarettes that are purchased.

…increasing the cost energy by implementing a carbon dioxide tax will reduce the amount of coal and oil that is purchased.

…increasing the cost of fatty foods by implementing a fat tax will reduce the amount of hamburgers and french fries that are purchased.

…but you do not believe that increasing the cost of labor by raising the minimum wage will reduce the amount of labor that will be purchased.

In other words, you might be a progressive if you believe that smokers, energy users, and McDonald’s customers are rational and self interested but businesses and employers are not.