“Prosperity is something created by businessmen for politicians to take credit for”

“Prosperity, apparently, is something that businessmen create so politicians may take credit for it” was written in the Detroit (MI) News in November 1928 (and was widely reprinted in other publications). The political saying has remained popular, but it’s usually given without credit.
 
Another saying about politicians taking credit for prosperity—popular at about the same time—is “Any party which takes credit for the rain must take blame for the drought.”
 
       
28 November 1928, Lubbock (TX) Morning Avalanche, pg. 8, col. 3:
We think that prosperity is something that the friends of politicians create so that said politicians can take credit for it and be re-elected.
 
30 November 1928, Chehalis (WA) Bee-Nugget, pg. 14, col. 3:
Prosperity, apparently, is something that businessmen create so politicians may take credit for it.—Detroit News.
 
Google Books
The Literary Digest
Volume 99
1928
Pg. ?:
Prosperity, apparently, is something that business men create so politicians may take credit for it. — Detroit News
 
22 November 1929, New York (NY) Times, “Lonsdale stresses changes in banking,” pg. 48:
The greatest need of the world to-day, according to John G. Lonsdale, president of the Mercantile-Commerce Bank and Trust Company of St. Louis and president of the American Bankers Association, is for men who will interpret our times.
(...)
“Some one has defined prosperity as something the business men create for the politicians to take credit for. But America’s present-day prosperity can be defined as a product resulting from the business man’s ability to study and to interpret.
   
Google News Archive
21 March 1930, Kyle (TX) News, pg. 3, col. 2:
THE THINKER LEADS
MODERN PROGRESS
By JOHN G. LONSDALE
President American Bankers Association
(...)
Some one has defined prosperity as something the business men create for the politicians to take credit for.
 
30 March 1947, Seattle (WA) Daily Times, “Daffynitions” by Paul H. Gilbert, Sunday Magazine, pg. 13:
PROSPERITY: Something business creates for politicians to take credit for.
 
9 April 1969, Springfield (MA) Union, pg. 1, col. 2:
Today’s Chuckle
Prosperity is something businessmen create for the politicians to take credit for.

The Notes:
Ronald Reagan’s Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom
By Ronald Reagan
Edited by Douglas Brinkley
New York, NY: HarperCollins
2011
Pg. 227:
Prosperity is something created by businessmen for politicians to take credit for.