Republican arguments about the budget are about the size of government, Charles Blahous writes, while Democratic arguments are about the distribution of wealth. One side says “shrink government” the other side says “don’t help the rich.” Blahous sees common ground:
Blahous suggests means testing Social Security and Medicare: stop making me pay for Warren Buffet’s healthcare. I agree. I also have some other ideas of spending for the rich we can cut: namely, corporate welfare.
Combine limited government with a more equitable distribution of wealth? I call it Free-Market Populism.
Ira Stoll, at The Future of Capitalism, is a regular critic of “Reverse Robin Hood,” and of corporatism, but he has some well thought-out problems with this idea.
