let me be clear here, and make it known that I consider current republican anti-"Big Government" rhetoric to be hogwash. besides the fact that current republicans have hypocritically
presided over the largest overall increase in federal spending since Lyndon B. Johnson, i never bought their small government philosophy. Republicans calling for "more liberty" have always struck me as wanting just enough government to protect their property, and screw everyone else. (though i do believe there are some "
real libertarians"), who take a principled stance on this issue.
ok, now that (you know i'm not some troll), i was reading today's excellent diary DKos and Bigotry in which benthos states "I'm pro-tax, pro-big government".
pro-big government???
i found that rather surprising--how could anyone be "pro-big government", especially in this era of liberty quashing, federal (and state) over-reaching?
i am not arguing for "small government" myself, but I think it is important for us to recognize, as democrats, that many of the institutions that republicans are abusing in order to infiltrate our privacy, and restrict our freedom, were in fact--created by democrats in the first place! (And not really that long ago) Whether or not these institutions were created out of good intentions is not the point, the point is that a federal program in the hands of the wrong leaders is a disaster. I think history is fairly clear about that fact that you can't keep corrupt and/or inept leaders from eventually taking power.
let me quote oldman (may he rest in peace), one of my favorite writers--and one of the most brilliant--in the blogosphere, on this latter point:
"The issue here is not to "blame" Democrats. What happened happened. It is to produce a wake-up call. ... Republicans have seized power on the back of criticizing the old liberal state order and produced only spurious or ineffectual solutions to the problems they criticized.
... Part of what makes Democrats ineffectual is that they tend to act simultaneously as the natural ruling party while at the same time whining about the very institutions - the petro-dollar, the multinational corporation, labor arbitrage, the intellectural property scheme - that they themselves pretty much created and pioneered!!!"
(read more here, and here, and here, and here, and here,. In fact, go here and read everything he ever wrote)
to sum up, I am not pro "Big Government", and though i am fond of the the idea of "Good Government", I think in order to be good, a government must also be limited. I think government is best when it gives us social safety net to fall back upon to encourage entrepreneurialism, and fight the ills of extreme poverty, and a fiscal framework to work within, that allows us to make our own decisions, rather than telling us what to do, or how to do it, which is an unfortunate effect of much of the mid-century technocratic liberalism.
so what do you think? take the poll below.
(on the off chance that this post generates any discussion i unfortunately have to run out for an hour or so, so i'll be back later. sorry.)