Thursday, November 12, 2009

All Politicians Are Socially Liberal?

Mark Steyn writes in the National Review, "The reality is that almost every 'socially liberal, fiscally conservative' politician turns out to be fiscally liberal--in the same way that, if you mix a half pint of ice cream with half pint of horse manure, it's not hard to figure which taste will predominate."

A lot of voters want it both ways which is why "fiscal" is not a usual word in this context. Big government is not primarily a "fiscal" issue as so many of these "socially liberal" programs are unaffordable; they are unaffordable because they are wrong---they are not the proper role of government, and if you pretend they are you unbalance the relationship between the citizen and the state.

No government can guarantee universal homownership, or absurd returns on mediocre assets as a permanent feature of life. And to attempt to do so is to strip language of meaning. You're debauching the currency--not in the "fiscal" exchange-rate nickel-'n-dime sense but something more profound: the very currency of liberty--property, contract, citizenship, responsibility.

These excerpts are taken from a synopsis by Mr. Steyn from an the article in the Times of London, "Arnie Schwarzenegger Joins the Ranks of Girlie Men" and the "Antacus" effort Arnie has made by evolving into such a social-liberal that he has involved the State of California in so many programs that government should not be involved in, that now the state is a foldin' state-going out of business state.

Even Antacus, though he could slay all comers--as long as his feet were planted firmly on the ground but as Hercules figured out, get him up in the air, unmoored, unrooted and he turned into a big sack of nothing. Pretty much where the State of California and Arnie are right now.

Sound like our socially overextended and semi-corrupt state of Illinois? Sure does to me. How about a another 10 million from the state for our MUSEUM? Maybe the state will bail out the Coliseum, some officials in Bloomington hope so.

Hey, elected officials, everything is important to some one so let's fund all requests. Just turn the country into one big commune. Appears that's where the whole country is heading.

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