Gbfan vents some frustration with the Wisconsin Republican Party proposed State Budget, in a post also carried on the Badger Blog Alliance. I understand and share his frustration but I believe it is, in large part, a problem of inertia. The growth of government has gathered momentum over half a century and it will take a lot of force to stop that direction. The fact that growth has been only slowed is not ideal and certainly not good, but now more than ever it is important to keep pushing the brakes.
I hear a great deal of talk on both the national and state level that the Democratic Party is devoid of ideas and destined to continue their slide into political history, much like the Federalist Party of two centuries ago. I am not confident about drafting that obituary. The incredible idiots leading the National Democratic Party may well self destruct but there are new true believers waiting for the old codgers to fall and to open up the power positions.
The appeal of a strong central government to maintain civil order over a population has never totally faded from American politics and probably never will. The progressive movement does have ideas about health care and environmental control of land use that will get them votes from large urban populations. The progressives will continue the pressure to accelerate government spending and expand the reach of government power into the everyday lives of Americans.
Until the Republicans do a significantly better job of educating urban voters about the principles and values of limited government it will be very hard to reverse the growth of government. If any lesson is to be learned from the current budget it’s that the larger we let government grow the harder it will be to peacefully dismantle the excess.
