Friday, October 09, 2009

Michael Barone Issues Challenge for a New Narrative.

Following up on my last post, this Michael Barone piece discusses the two narratives that formed the basis of Betsy Newmark's post. In his piece Barone suggests that neither narrative he discussed fully explains what has happened and issues something of a challenge for a third narrative so, here is my two cents worth:

Americans are dissatisfied with the politics of the current crop of leaders. The wins for Democrats in 2006 and 2008 were a rejection of Republican led politics. The current "uprising" by TEA party activists and the rejection of big government politics that Democrats thought was being embraced through their victories in 2006 and 2008 point to a desire not for Republican big government or Democratic big government, but for a smaller government that is less intrusive into their day to day lives. The massive reaction to health care reform, the failed stimulus package and other big government initiatives shows that Americans are looking more and more away from government. While we want the help that big government can give us, Americans are learning that the price is too high.

That is why I think a battle is coming regarding the proper role of the federal government in our society and a federalism battle is approaching.

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