Crisis of Big Government
By Paul Weyrich
Conservatives may be surprised to hear that for over 50 years they have been somewhat successful in stopping the growth of big government. Going all the way to the early 1950s Federal spending has hovered in a fairly narrow band around 20% of GDP.
But even that limited success is soon to be swamped by reality. For the Federal Government’s long-term projections show a radical change over the next 40 years, with Federal spending soaring close to 40% of GDP or more. This is due to our nation’s big entitlement programs – Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. Counting state and local spending, total government spending in the U.S. would be over 50% of GDP.
If anything even close were to occur it would be a crushing defeat for conservatives and the end of any notion of limited government.
Conservatives may be surprised to hear that for over 50 years they have been somewhat successful in stopping the growth of big government. Going all the way to the early 1950s Federal spending has hovered in a fairly narrow band around 20% of GDP.
But even that limited success is soon to be swamped by reality. For the Federal Government’s long-term projections show a radical change over the next 40 years, with Federal spending soaring close to 40% of GDP or more. This is due to our nation’s big entitlement programs – Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. Counting state and local spending, total government spending in the U.S. would be over 50% of GDP.
If anything even close were to occur it would be a crushing defeat for conservatives and the end of any notion of limited government.
posted by HeavyHanded at
5:24 PM
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