I thank the Minnesota Republican Majority for standing strong for principals of smaller government and the free market during the recent Minnesota state govenment shutdown.
Only by having a robust private sector will there be jobs and prosperity. The social safety net is something of last resort. It is not intended to provide an alternative to a good job, and the Republicans understand that. By standing up for job creators, you are really showing great empathy to those who need the jobs.
There is no way to have any political or economic discussion without first presenting your opinion on how big government should be. Conservatives believe government is too big to have prosperity. Liberals believe that prosperity is irrelevant, and that the government should not only provide a safety net, but the basics of food, clothing, shelter, education, and “safety” as expressed as “defense against anything that can go wrong in life.”
Arguments of being “hypocritical regarding spending by Republicans” are merely yet another side show. How big do you want government to be? Answer that first, and you show exactly where you are on the political spectrum.
The Public sector is now 44% of our economy. Before Obama it was 35%. I believe 20% would lead to a happier society, and provide all the safety net we need. Liberals appear to have their next goal at 55%; then 65%, 75% and beyond.
The Republicans realize that when you have more people “in the wagon” than there are “pulling the wagon”, something is going to give. The liberals want to have a majority of the people “in the wagon”, so they will have an permanent majority voting block. Who are the slaves and slave drivers in this picture?
Republicans realize that in order to have a free, happy nation, we have to keep a substantial majority pulling the wagon.
Bottom line: unless you first agree on how big government should be, political-economic arguments are an exercise in futility. And the result of not having this primal agreement tend towards the ad hominem and repetition of talking points.