Andrew Sullivan posts a chart of the day illustrating that Americans’ trust in their government rises in direct correlation to the health of the economy, specifically, to positive changes in real disposable income. He then posits two theories (one of them his own) on why such a correlation is “under-reported.”

Here’s my theory: Because it’s too flippin’ obvious. It’s a “dog bites man” rather than “man bites dog” story. When personal wealth is increasing, our assumption is naturally going to be that government is either doing something right or (more likely the case) not doing something wrong.

That’s precisely where Karl Marx erred: Personal economy, not religion, is the opium of the masses.