One of the regular themes of my political writing is one very insulting to liberals: Liberals are often people who, in their thinking, never grew up — their thinking remained childlike. This is true when it comes to issues of war and peace; and it’s true when it comes to issues of wealth and poverty.

Give you an example that recently came to mind: I used to think that resistance to taxation was selfish; that, indeed, advocacy of lower taxes was an expression of selfishness, if not contempt for others. (Recall that Congressman Rangel has damned tax cuts as “racist.”) But then I turned about 17 — and realized that a free economy, with low taxation and light regulation, made people at large more prosperous.

It is not selfish to want to keep more of your own money. Often, people do more for others with their own wealth than government can do for others with that same wealth.

And here comes Senator Obama, tarring resistance to higher taxation as selfish. (His running mate, for good measure, has labeled it unpatriotic.) That’d be okay for Obama’s young daughters — but for a man his age?

Last week, I was in a debate with a distinguished professor of economics who described the “anti-tax movement” (in his words) as a “disease.” He went on to quote the old saw about taxes being the price of civilization — sure. But we “anti-tax” people don’t advocate no taxes. We advocate a fair, sensible, and effective system of taxation.

It is often right to be childlike in our thinking (certainly when it comes to matters spiritual). At other times — it is pathetically harmful.