I get it. I totally get it. Maybe you got it decades ago, but, you see - my political awareness was entirely formed under Republican majority rule. In my life I have enjoyed exactly 10 days of Democratic majority rule since the age of 14 when Newt took over the House.
You know how they say that Republicans are better as an opposition party? Well, the "small government" myth works ONLY when Republicans are in the minority. Because "We are for small government" REALLY just means "We don't want to support anything the Democrats are for (even if it might help the country) but we don't want to sound like obstructionists. We want to sound responsible."
How is it that so many voters - not to mention media pundits - actually BOUGHT that Republicans are for "small government" all these years - after Reagan, Bush, and Bush ran up the deficit and the freaking Republicans in Congress let them???
I've been politically aware in a big way from about 2003-onward. That was the year I discovered that there were other liberals in the world. And they write books. And the campus bookstore (I was in college) sold those books. That was the year I found Al Franken, Paul Krugman, and Michael Moore.
It made NO SENSE to me that Republicans could say - with a straight face - that they are for small government while supporting Bush. Small government in what way? In a fiscally responsible way? Nope. In a not-warrantlessly-wiretapping-you way? Nope. The Republicans I observed in government loved big spending on stupid, corrupt shit (so long as their friends were profiting) and all the Big Brothery stuff that Orwell could come up with and then some.
So where did the "we like small government" thing even come from? Were they EVER for small government? I assumed yes. Maybe in, like, the time of Abraham Lincoln. Maybe even all the way up to Eisenhower. But certainly not during my lifetime.
But now - I finally see it all clearly. "We promote small government" was probably ALWAYS a lie. At least since the days of FDR. The Dems had control of the House for 40 years (1955-1995). In fact, with the exception of only 4 years, the Dems had the House from 1931 until 1995. They had the Senate from 1955-1981 and again from 1987-1995. "Small government" is a GREAT tool for Republicans to oppose EVERYTHING the Dems want.
Because what do the Dems want? Civil rights, health care, peace, a progressive tax system, fiscal responsibility, a social safety net... what do the Republicans have to gain by supporting any of that if the Dems will get the credit for their success anyway? But how heartless does it sound to say "No, we don't want to feed hungry children"? So instead, you say "We are for small government."
Take a look at the stimulus package. Our economy needs it. One look at the work of John Maynard Keynes and FDR and the New Deal and it's obvious. But the House Republicans? Oh no - they are for small government. So none of them voted for the bill. (Real reason? If it fails, they'll share the blame if they vote for it, but if it succeeds Obama gets all the credit.)
But put those Republicans in the majority and - even worse - in the White House and their true colors come out. "Small government"? What small government? Oh no. We need to SPEND!!! And CUT TAXES!!! Nevermind that we can't cover the cost of all of our crazy spending. Those tax cuts are proof that we don't want the big, inefficient government taking your money and wasting it - even if we are wiretapping you while we cut your taxes. We'll let the Democrats deal with the debt someday when they are back in power. Then we'll call them "Tax and Spend" Democrats.
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Off-topic: The peanut butter recall is getting ready to expand like crazy. The last time I checked, the new industrial/wholesale products were added to the FDAs list but only a few consumer/retail products were added. That means that MANY MORE are still to come. If you have ANYTHING that is a processed food with peanuts in it, DO NOT EAT IT (unless it's Girl Scout Cookies - eat those). Don't necessarily throw it out yet either. Just keep watching the news to see if it's recalled during the next week or two. I will continue to post all new peanut butter news - and you can also follow via RSS feed or even Twitter.