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More taxes. Fewer choices. No guns. Less gasoline. And mealworms for dinner

There is something almost breathtaking about the hypocrisy of wealthy politicians and activists lecturing ordinary Americans about how little we need. They fly private jets, live in multimillion-dollar homes, travel in motorcades, surround themselves with armed security, and dine on food that probably requires a pronunciation guide—then turn around and tell us that we don’t need guns for self-defense. Apparently, firearms are dangerous when owned by the peasantry, but perfectly acceptable when carried by the people guarding the ruling class. Nothing says “equality” quite like a heavily armed security detail protecting someone who wants to disarm you.

Then comes the environmental sermon. We are told to drive less, buy electric cars, stop using gasoline, pay more taxes, consume less, and generally reduce our carbon footprint until we’re practically walking everywhere carrying a reusable shopping bag. Meanwhile, the people delivering the sermon somehow remain remarkably fond of private aircraft, chauffeured SUVs, enormous houses, and lifestyles with carbon footprints large enough to require their own ZIP code. Apparently, climate change is an existential emergency—just not one that should interfere with their first-class accommodations.

And naturally, we’re also expected to reconsider what we eat. Gourmet food for the enlightened; processed insects for the rest of us. We are told that eating bugs is an exciting new source of sustainable protein, while the people suggesting seem mysteriously reluctant to demonstrate the concept personally. Perhaps Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, AOC, Gavin Newsom and their fellow champions of austerity could lead the way. Nothing would inspire confidence quite like watching Congress sit down together for a nice steaming platter of mealworms while sipping taxpayer-funded bottled water.

The real issue isn’t that someone is wealthy. People are entitled to succeed, prosper, own nice things, and live however they choose. The hypocrisy comes when people who enjoy the lifestyles of the rich and famous insist that ordinary Americans must accept less—less freedom, less property, less energy, less choice, more taxes, more regulations and more dependence on government. And dependence is the key word. A citizen who owns property, has a firearm, earns a good living, drives what he wants, cooks his own food and keeps more of his paycheck is considerably harder to control than someone who depends upon government for nearly everything.

So perhaps the next time these self-appointed champions of the poor give us another lecture about sacrifice, they should experience a little of the lifestyle they prescribe. No private jets. No luxury SUVs. No armed entourages. No gourmet delicacies. Move into the projects, shop at the discount grocery store, eat the bugs, and commute in a twenty-year-old Hyundai hybrid.

Then, after a few years of practicing what they preach, they can come back and explain to the rest of us how wonderful it is. Until then, the “do as I say, not as I do” routine is getting a little stale.

The champagne socialism act isn’t fooling many people anymore—and the peasants are beginning to notice who gets the champagne.