"Imagine a city where all the major economic planks of the statist or "progressive" platform have been enacted: A "living wage" ordinance far above the federal minimum wage, for all public employees and private contractors. A school system that spends significantly more per pupil than the national average. A powerful school employee union that militantly defends the exceptional pay, benefits and job security it has won for its members. A tax system that aggressively redistributes income from businesses and the wealthy to the poor and to government bureaucracies.

Would this be a shining city on the hill, exciting the admiration of all? We don't have to guess because there is such a city right here in our state: Detroit.

Detroit has been dubbed "the most liberal city in America" and each of these progressive policies is alive and well there. How have they worked out?

In 1950 Detroit was the wealthiest city in America on a per capita income basis. Today, the Census Bureau reports that it is the nation's second poorest major city, just "edging out" Cleveland.

Could it be pure coincidence that the decline occurred over the same period in which union power, the city government bureaucracy, taxes and business regulations all multiplied? While correlation is not causation, it is striking that the decline in per capita income is exactly what classical economist predict would occur when wage controls are imposed and taxes are increased."

(Jarrett Skorup Mackinac Center Feb 14) reported in WSJ Notable & quotable 2/16/12