&gt; What makes progressive social policies (ignoring loaded issues like reproductive options and gun control) so distasteful to some of those who would most benefit?<p>I&#x27;m not going to claim to answer for anybody but myself -- in large part because (a) I&#x27;m an urbanite too and (b) my politics can be least inaccurately described as &quot;anarchist&quot; -- but to me, this question really comes down to one point: respect&#x2F;maturity.<p>Much of the modern progressive social policy package sounds to me like somebody saying &quot;Tsk tsk, daddy&#x27;s little princess deserves better! You sit back, I&#x27;ll deal with this!&quot; (Wages too low? Have a horrid health insurance plan that doesn&#x27;t cover what you need? Housing in short supply? Don&#x27;t fret, Just vote Progressive! We can legislate your woes away!)<p>That attitude is OK if &quot;princess&quot; is only 8 years old -- but only because a child is not mature enough to make many decisions, nor expected to be capable of executing on them. Should the target of this attitude be 18, it becomes mildly condescending since &quot;princess&quot; is on the verge of being a legal adult. However, should this be directed toward someone who is 28 or 38 [as all universal government policy inevitably must], the concern arises that whomever carries this attitude will <i>never</i> be treating &quot;princess&quot; like a capable, autonomous adult peer.<p>You may find concern and compassion in the progressive social agenda, but all I will ever perceive is condescension and thinly-disguised contempt.