Hey, Big Spender!

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Hey, Big Spender!
by James Hall, Senior Associate Editor

January 7, 2004

"Leaning Left"

James Hall Our political world is topsy-turvy. A Democratic president, Bill Clinton, announces the end of big government and works with a Republican Congress to do away with the expensive welfare entitlement. He's followed into office by a Republican George W. Bush, who presides over an increase of discretionary spending at nearly four times the rate of his predecessor, and then promotes the largest new federal entitlement since Medicare itself was created. Welcome back, Big Government, courtesy of George W. Bush and the Republican Congressional leadership.

The last couple of years prove that the philosophy of less government is dead, for all intents and purposes, in Washington. Under Republican leadership, federal spending per family has hit a 60-year high at over $20,000 per family, matching the heady days of FDR and the New Deal.

It's true that much of the new increase represents increased federal spending on the War on Terror, Iraq, and Homeland Security. But this still begs the question of whether less government is the proper response to terrorism or any other threat. By creating the Homeland Security Department and increasing overall federal spending, the Bush administration has clearly placed itself on the side of more and larger government to solve national problems.

And not all this spending has been for national security. One Heritage Foundation economist has calculated that 55% of the spending increases are for non-defense related programs. The Club for Growth points out that the 23.8% increase in spending since President Bush took office has included the largest farm bill, the largest foreign aid bill, and the largest education bill in thirty years. Now add in a Medicare prescription drug benefit that will cost at least $400 billion over 10 years.

Of course Mr. Bush did not create spending to federal programs: Congress did. But he does submit a budget to Congress. He's lobbied personally for many of these programs, and failed to veto any major spending bill, regardless of its pork content.

So while liberals no longer control the federal government's legislative or executive branches, they have clearly won the ideological battle in Washington. Limited government ideologues may be unhappy about this, but the majority of conservatives don't seem to care-they still support the President and the Republican Congressional leadership. Big Government conservatism is thriving in the post 9/11 world, and the label of "Big Spender" can no longer be applied exclusively to liberals or Democrats. ***

James Hall
Orlando, FL USA

Photo of the author courtesy of staff files