No New Deal?

If you’ve paid any attention at all to politics over the last year, you would think that the American people had clearly shifted to the left and rejected the basic underpinnings of conservative philosophy. That would be a mistake:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 62% of voters would prefer fewer government services with lower taxes. Nearly a third (29%) disagrees and would rather have a bigger government with higher taxes. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. Those numbers have changed little over the past month. Republican voters overwhelmingly prefer fewer government services-83% of the GOP faithful hold that view while just 13% prefer more government involvement. Democratic voters are evenly divided on this question: 46% prefer more government services, while 43% prefer less government services.

How skeptical are the American people of bigger government? So skeptical that even Democrats are evenly split on the question. The Republican ‘brand’ may be badly tarnished, and voters are clearly more prepared than any time in recent memory to consider expanding government. But Republicans retain a basic advantage: the clear majority of Americans are on their side when it comes to dramatically expanded government services. Which will make the Democrats’ new ‘New Deal’ a tough sell even in what is shaping up to be a very good year.

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