Liberals often assert an asymmetry in U.S. political ideology. While the Right can be seen as demanding less government, no matter what, the Left — they say — doesn’t push for more government, no matter what. The Left wants sensible, reasonable regulations, and wants the government to intervene when it can bring about good.

These days, there’s plenty of evidence against that liberal argument — evidence that the Left sees any erosion of federal authority, any any crack in the New Deal, any expansion of economic liberty, and even some expansions of free speech, as the camel’s nose under the tent.