Progressives Not So Progressive

Gary Shapiro, writing in the Huffington Post, comments that when Progressives -- for whatever reason -- gave up on free trade, they have turned their backs on the third world.

Of course. By giving up on free trade, part of what capitalism is all about, and which progressives are trying to destroy, the third world hurts first.

(By the way: I only use "progressive" because Shapiro does. I don't believe for one minute that liberals are "progressive." They are not.)

As Shapiro points out:

In the 1960s, President Kennedy outlined a global vision based on the premise that a "rising tide lifts all boats." And lift it did. In the last 15 years alone, global trade has helped to lift 400 million people out of poverty around the world. Yet, when it comes to boosting living standards in places like Colombia and Panama, we hear hardly a peep from progressives. These stalled trade deals would improve economic and humanitarian conditions in those countries while helping U.S. companies, including many consumer electronics and technology companies, access new markets. The last 15 years are proof of that.

Spreading the wealth -- taking from the rich and giving to the poor -- does not improve the conditions of the world. How many socialist nations on this planet have done as well, or better, than a capitalistic democracy in improving the conditions of its people, overall?

If you can answer that, I'll convert today.

But I'm not worried.