Description
"The book reviews the debate over the size and scope of the federal government, one that has been ongoing since the New Deal right up through the 2016 presidential race. It examines why opponents of big government often fail to make headway. The author argues that there are six ways in which big government hurts the very people it purports to help: the poor, the working class, and the middle class. He also seeks to demonstrate how "big government" actually props up the rich, the powerful, and the politically connected. The False Promise of Big Government addresses the myth at the core of modern progressivism: that only government can help the average person survive and prosper in the contemporary world. Garry seeks to demonstrate that opponents of big government rely on arguments that are true but fail to address the heart of the issue: that while massive government programs are wasteful and impose huge economic costs on America, many of them are unconstitutional. In addition, the author argues that those who claim to speak for the "little guy" push for policies that harm the most vulnerable in society, while proponents of limited government do not ignore the working and middle classes but in fact are trying to free those individuals from a government that acts against their interests"--
Read More
“In this bold and brilliant book, Patrick Garry takes on our overgrown government in the terms of its defenders: he systematically demolishes the argument that a larger government better serves the poor and vulnerable. It is simply essential reading.” —Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs, author of The Fractured Republic and The Great DebateThe debate over the size and scope of the federal government has raged since the New Deal. So why have opponents of big government so rarely made political headway? Because they fail to address the fundamental issue.Patrick M. Garry changes that in this short, powerful book. Garry, a law professor and political commentator, reveals six ways in which big government hurts the very people it purports to help: the poor, the working class, and the middle class. And the problem is worse than that. He shows that big government actually props up the rich, the powerful, and the politically connected.The False Promise of Big Government thus debunks a myth widely accepted in politics today: that only government can help the average person survive and prosper in the contemporary world. Garry demonstrates that opponents of big government rely on arguments that are true but fail to address the heart of the issue. Yes, massive government programs are wasteful and impose huge economic costs on America, and yes, many of them violate constitutional provisions. But in focusing on economic and constitutional arguments, proponents of limited government cede the moral high ground to progressives.The truth is that those who claim to speak for the “little guy” actually push for policies that harm the most vulnerable in society. And it is just as true that proponents of limited government don't ignore the working and middle classes but in fact are trying to free those individuals from a government that acts against their interests.In just one hundred pages, The False Promise of Big Government lays out everything you need to know about why big government fails and how to overcome it at last.
Read Less