An Immoral Philosophy, By PAUL KRUGMAN

Now, why should Mr. Bush fear that insuring uninsured children would lead to a further “federalization” of health care, even though nothing like that is actually in either the Senate plan or the House plan? It’s not because he thinks the plans wouldn’t work. It’s because he’s afraid that they would. That is, he fears that voters, having seen how the government can help children, would ask why it can’t do the same for adults.

And there you have the core of Mr. Bush’s philosophy. He wants the public to believe that government is always the problem, never the solution. But it’s hard to convince people that government is always bad when they see it doing good things. So his philosophy says that the government must be prevented from solving problems, even if it can. In fact, the more good a proposed government program would do, the more fiercely it must be opposed.

it's hard to think of anything to say here that won't sound overwrought or dramatic.

but this is why i don't trust the current republican party. old school republicans? we disagree on lots of things, but i have some faith that we both want to end up in the same place-- happy healthy educated people, pretty much all of 'em. (a brief wave to my parents, here. hi cme! hi l3!)

but the current set of neocons? it seems reasonably clear that what they want is for themselves to be happy, healthy, educated, and rich rich rich, and fuck everyone else.