"Progressive" Economics Described Perfectly

1. Profits are a cost. Therefore, when the government runs a business, the absence of profit motive reduces everyone's costs. If all businesses made zero profits, then costs would be correspondingly lower and running the economy would be cheaper - and fairer.

2. Progessives are not against markets, which are known to create social benefits...except in cases when it's obvious that government is the fairer alternative.

3. Fiscal, and especially tax, policies should be decided solely on the basis of fairness.

4. Employers decide how much their employees cost them to employ; businesses could simply give employees more wages if they wanted to. But businesses don't want to because they're greedy. Government ought to force employers to bargain in good faith. Fork over that wasted income to those who deserve it, or else. That would be fair.

5. It's BS to think that taxes involve incentives. It's well known that people don't modify their efforts in response to taxes. Maybe this is because taxes aren't a cost. Or maybe it's because taxes are an exception to the principle that costs create incentives. Or maybe because people just don't think of taxes as a cost. Just thinking about this gives a progressive a headache, so let's change the subject. What's your stance on requiring food labels in restaurants?

6. Taxes on capital don't discourage capital formation as long as they're teensy-weensy taxes on lots and lots of transactions. It's a joke not to think this.

7. Wealthy people who don't want to pay more for government programs are greedy and selfish. All people should want to pay their fair share to support their government, especially when other people have to be more fair than me. And ordinary people who argue against higher taxes based on principles of efficiency or welfare optimization are the dupes of greedy corporate interests. But enough of this. What's your stance on fighting for bike paths?

8. "Greedy corporate" is one word. Sometimes the "greedy" is silent.

9. In every transaction between two parties, one party is an oppressor and the other a victim. If in doubt about which one is which, the oppressor is always the one with more money.

Source: http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/progressive-economics-made-plain-0