This blog highlights brief economic and political details that pique my interest. My attention is drawn to the patterns and contradictions of ideas and human behavior. Some references may include articles from the Wall St. Journal (WSJ), some of whose content is available online without a subscription.

“Wealth is no proof of moral character; nor poverty of the want of it.” Thomas Paine, Chap 13, Dissertation on the First Principles of Government.

Many of us probably would agree with this idea for we regard America as the founding of democracy. When Paine wrote this in 1795, it was not a widely held belief among Americans. It wasn’t till the 1820s that New York, one of the original 13 colonies, extended the right to vote to all white males, regardless of whether they owned or rented property.