But not so long ago, the left's big bugbear was poverty, not inequality. Then a funny thing happened: The left had to de-emphasize poverty because, as measured by the World Bank and others, absolute poverty is disappearing fast, thanks to capitalism and the collapse of communism.

  That's right. Capitalism — not big government — is killing poverty. -Terry Jones, IBD

"Aid is just a stop-gap. Commerce [and] entrepreneurial capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid." -Bono from group U2

Also, it’s worth noting that the so-called red-in-tooth-and-claw Gilded Age was a time of massive, historic economic growth. It was when America overtook Britain as the economic powerhouse of the globe. That’s one reason the left has always hated it. When Europe was boldly embracing socialism, America was proving that capitalism was better at generating wealth and lifting people out of poverty. -Jonah Goldberg

Obama: If You've Got A Business,

You Didn't Build That