The GOP and Limited Government: Do They Have a Future Together?

The era of big government is alive and well. You might think that after dominating all branches of the federal government for more than a half decade, Republicans, who like to talk big about lean and limited government, might have taken Leviathan down a few notches. But life under Bush has been less than a dream for conservatives who agreed with the Gipper when he said “government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem.” Republicans under Bush have tallied up a budget deficit of historic proportions, added an enormous entitlement to an already unsustainable system, created a vast new security bureaucracy, and strengthened Washington’s grip on local schools. Are Republicans selling out and failing to lead, or are they just giving voters what they want? Does the spirit of Goldwater flicker still in the breasts of Republicans? Or is the Contract with America stamped null and void?

Former Bush speechwriter and bestselling political author David Frum starts this month’s discussion with a lead essay on whether the window of opportunity has closed for small-government conservatives. Joining Frum in the conversation this month we have Bruce Bartlett, author of the controversial book Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy; political writers Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam, proprietors of The American Scene blog, and joint authors of a forthcoming book on “Sam’s Club Republicans“; and David Boaz, executive vice-president of the Cato Institute.

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