Jim Acosta Had a Sad Gathering of Resistance Losers in DC
We Are in a Political Game
Democrats Have Suddenly Become Interested in the Epstein Files – I Wonder Why?
Top Lawyer Shuts Down Elon Musk’s Explosive Claim About Trump and Epstein
'Corrupt As Hell': Trump Goes Off on The New York Times and Washington...
The Spat vs. the Scandal
Tehran’s Nuclear Lies Unraveled by Iran’s Democratic Resistance
Trump Administration Blasts Boston Mayor's 'Sickening' Comments About ICE Agents
The Latest Jobs Report Is Here
Musk Changed His Tune on Decommissioning Dragon Amid Trump Feud. Here's Why.
There's Been an Update About That Reported Phone Call Between Trump, Musk Following...
Here's What Jasmine Crockett Thinks Is Going to Help Her Party for 'This...
Disgusting: Major Event in Texas Canceled Over Jihadist Threats
Four Democrat-Led States Urge the FDA to Lift Abortion Pill Restrictions
Scott Jennings Certainly Has Thoughts on KJP’s New Book
OPINION

Government Keeps Growing

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

Political scientist Matt Grossmann discussed the results of his research on federal government growth in the Washington Post last week.

I combed through hundreds of history books covering American public policy since 1945, tracking the most significant domestic policy changes that made it into law and the actors that historians credit for those changes. Of the 509 most significant domestic policies passed by Congress, only one in five were conservative, in that they contracted the scope of government funding, regulation or responsibility. More than 60 percent were liberal: They clearly expanded government. The others offered a mix of liberal or conservative components or took no clear ideological direction.

Grossman mentioned one of the structural reasons why this has happened:

Liberal policies are self-reinforcing because they create beneficiaries who act as constituencies for their continuation and expansion. Policy debates center on what additional actions government should take, not whether to discontinue existing roles.

Grossman is essentially saying that not only has the size of the federal government expanded, but so has the scope. The problem is not just that programs such as Medicare keep growing, but also that Congress keeps adding new programs.

The following chart shows an official count of the number of federal benefit, subsidy, and aid programs—Medicare, farm subsidies, food stamps, and more than 2,000 others. The source is the CFDA website for recent years and hard copy CFDA catalogs for the older years.

Advertisement

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement