While perusing my usual circle of blogness, I tripped across a sentiment that I had seen spreading within the liberal community for some time. In the “Open Mid-day Thread” from Laurence Lewis over at Daily Kos, was this thread starter on how the right is starting to appreciate big government:
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer wants more federal help with immigration. Texas wants federal funds to fix a congested rail intersection. Washington Senate candidate Clint Didier has received more than a quarter million federal dollars, in farm subsidies. It’s always good to see Republicans appreciating a strong federal government.
Now what Mr. Lewis doesn’t get is that Conservatives do actually appreciate a strong government, but only in the areas where the constitution has said it should be. Fixing the congested rail intersection comes from Article I, clause 7 establishing Congress’ powers over “post roads”. Several Supreme Court cases have tangled with this, but in the end, the established power stands.
It saddens me that I even have to keep saying this, but yes, Governor Brewer has every right to demand assistance from the federal government on illegal immigration – it’s a federal law that’s being broken. It would seem that the left complains that Arizona went and created a state law to control illegal border activity, and now that a Republican is asking the feds to enforce federal law – libs are throwing that fact in the faces of supporters. Which is it? Should the federal or state government be dealing with this? Oh wait, they don’t want this enforced at all. We’re just supposed to focus on the state issue and forget all about the amnesty initiatives being floated in Congress. “Not gonna’ do it”.
The farm subsidies, are questionable, but pointing at one Senate candidate in a left-leaning state as somehow indicating that Conservatives believe the government should be subsidizing the growing of crops is ludicrous. The enviro-left has recently been pushing legislators to throw all kinds of government incentives to farmers to grow corn for ethanol production. Subsidizing the price of corn does two things: increases the price of corn and entices farmers to plant fewer acres of the less-profitable crops. While people around the world are struggling to pay these subsidized prices for corn and inflated prices for other crop-foods, saying that right-leaning Americans are appreciative of such government action, isn’t really correct. Than again, I’m sure that’s Bush’s fault too.
Conservatives do like a strong America. We like a good central government (not necessarily over-bearingly large). The federal government should handle roads, regulation of inter-state/international trade and treaties, the defense of the nation, and the collection of taxes. These are places that Conservatives find that our government can operate (albeit inefficient). Health care, retirement, education.. the government has neither been effective nor efficient.
Liberals, really now, get over it. Conservatives are not looking for anarchy any more than you are looking for fascism (well most of you).
Gain some perspective, if you can. There’s no need to argue, lefties just don’t understand.
