Unlike our parents, Progressives want us to become thieves and takers. Boudreaux:
Forget that even poor Americans today generally have greater access to goods and services than did middle-income Americans of a generation ago. Instead ask: what kind of philosophy demands that government do what all decent parents teach their children not to do?
Who among us sends our children to school or to the playground with admonitions to begrudge classmates or playmates possessing nicer clothing or fancier toys? Who among us counsels our youngsters to form schoolyard coalitions for forcibly confiscating expensive sneakers and video games from ‘rich’ kids for "redistribution" to poorer kids? Who among us would not scold our children for such envy, and punish them severely if they participated in such thievery?
Children should avoid envy and learn to thrive by producing rather than by taking. The same is true of adults.
Progressive paternalism is just bad parenting by adults, for adults.
-Max Borders
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