The Unmerited Origins of Wealth

Joe the Plumber probably wouldn't want to grab a beer with Lew Daly. If Obama's not-particularly-progressive plan for "spreading the wealth around" reminded the Ohioan of socialism, Daly's would seem downright red. Daly, a senior fellow at the public policy research organization Demos, has spent years studying economics and well-being and he's sure of one thing: America's richest people don't deserve their wealth. Indeed, Daly comes close to likening the richest among us to parasites who abuse societal resources for their own gain.