Is there anything wrong with trying to make as much money as you honestly can? According to 84% of Americans, the answer is no. It’s somewhat surprising that 16% of Americans would harbor any doubt about that. Cato Institute research fellow Emily Ekins explains the findings of the new Cato 2019 Welfare, Work and Wealth Survey. She writes:
The Cato 2019 Welfare, Work, and Wealth Survey, a new national poll of 1,700 U.S. adults, finds that 84% of Americans say there is nothing wrong with trying to make as much money as one honestly can. The survey also finds the public believes that growing the economic pie benefits more than just the wealthy: 79% say economic growth will better help people climb out of poverty than more welfare spending.
You can read the entire results of the survey here.
During the last two years, many Americans have been given the opportunity to make more money, as Trump administration policies led to a drastic decline in the rate of unemployment. You can see on my chart below that, under Trump, job openings have outstripped the number of unemployed Americans for 17 months straight.
Benjamin Franklin said in 1766, “I am for doing good to the poor, but…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.” Trump’s program of tax reform and deregulation has created record low levels of unemployment among African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian Americans.
Those jobs are helping people climb out of poverty, and to reach for the American dream. They’ll begin saving for their retirement life. There’s nothing wrong with making money.
