Home
/
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
/
The Contending Realities of Progressive Economics
The Contending Realities of Progressive Economics
Jun 4, 2025 12:25 PM

We need to trim government programs today in order make way for bigger government tomorrow.

That seems to be the message former treasury secretary and Obama economic advisor Larry Summers delivered today at the Washington Ideas Forum:

“If we want to have the same kind of society we always had…you may see some upward drift in government,” he said. “That’s why you need to work ever harder to eliminate government activities that don’t need to take place.”

Summers deserves credit for attempting to incorporate reality into the liberal economic worldview. Government will have to take an increasing share of GDP just to keep up with the growth of current government programs. But we can’t afford the programs we have now, which means we must, as Summers says, “eliminate government activities that don’t need to take place.”

But his message will fall on deaf progressive ears. Liberals are generally opposed to giving up any government funding of private activities, much less give up actual government activities. Remember just a few weeks ago when President Obama mocked the idea of defunding PBS? And the mere suggestion of cutting off taxpayer funds for the president’s favorite billion dollar corporation—Planned Parenthood—causes him to reach for his veto pen.

American liberalism suffers from a political paradox: There is no realistic way for America to keep paying for all the programs liberals want to keep—and there is no realistic scenario in which American liberals voluntarily give up any of those programs. Unfortunately, the only resolution to the problem will be an economic crisis that leads to forced austerity measure. That’s the future reality all of us will be forced to contend with tomorrow since liberals refuse to contend with present realities today.

Comments
Welcome to mreligion comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Mark 12:28-34   (Read Mark 12:28-34)   Those who sincerely desire to be taught their duty, Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He tells the scribe that the great commandment, which indeed includes all, is, that of loving God with all our hearts. Wherever this is the ruling principle in the soul, there...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Mark 6:1-6   (Read Mark 6:1-6)   Our Lord's countrymen tried to prejudice the minds of people against him. Is not this the carpenter? Our Lord Jesus probably had worked in that business with his father. He thus put honour upon mechanics, and encouraged all persons who eat by the labour of their hands. It becomes...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Proverbs 3:27-35   (Read Proverbs 3:27-35)   Our business is to observe the precepts of Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking redress by law. It will be...
Verse of the Day
  1 Peter 5:10 In-Context   8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.   9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.   10 And the God of all grace, who...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Psalm 119:9-16   (Read Psalm 119:9-16)   To original corruption all have added actual sin. The ruin of the young is either living by no rule at all, or choosing false rules: let them walk by Scripture rules. To doubt of our own wisdom and strength, and to depend upon God, proves the purpose of holiness...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Psalm 51:1-6   (Read Psalm 51:1-6)   David, being convinced of his sin, poured out his soul to God in prayer for mercy and grace. Whither should backsliding children return, but to the Lord their God, who alone can heal them? he drew up, by Divine teaching, an account of the workings of his heart toward...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on Psalm 91:1-8   (Read Psalm 91:1-8)   He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. The spiritual life is protected by Divine grace...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on 1 Peter 4:7-11   (Read 1 Peter 4:7-11)   The destruction of the Jewish church and nation, foretold by our Saviour, was very near. And the speedy approach of death and judgment concerns all, to which these words naturally lead our minds. Our approaching end, is a powerful argument to make us sober in all worldly...
Verse of the Day
  Commentary on Today's Verse   Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:1-9   (Read 2 Timothy 3:1-9)   Even in gospel times there would be perilous times; on account of persecution from without, still more on account of corruptions within. Men love to gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and do their duty. When every man is eager for what he can...
Verse of the Day
  1 Timothy 6:17-19 In-Context   15 which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,   16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.   17 Command those who are rich...
Related Classification
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.mreligion.com All Rights Reserved