Maggie's Farm

We linked to David Brooks' confusing column this morning. Jennifer Rubin responds to it, in the WaPo. One quote:

It is noteworthy that the policy preferences that Brooks attributes (correctly) to Republicans all have to do with shifting money and control away from the public to the private sector ("a flatter, simpler tax code with lower corporate rates, a smaller debt burden, predictable regulations, affordable entitlements"), not simply redirecting the trillions that we already spend. Republicans' formula for arousing energy, spurring social mobility and helping people to transform their lives is to limit the size of government and allow the public sector (with the benefits of sound money, predictable regulation, a reliable legal system and low taxes) to flourish; Democrats don't buy that.

The reason the parties fight about the size of government is because it matters so much. It would be nice to imagine we can avoid that fight, but ignoring the growth of government is precisely what has landed us in the current predicament.