The Public Wants to Believe In Big Government
Walter Shapiro has an article in TNR titled “Americans Like Big Government: They just don’t really know it yet” which is about the importance of branding in building support for a progressive agenda. I think our new CAP report on the state of American political ideology provides some context for this and helps move beyond the old saw about America being ideological conservative and operationally liberal.
For one thing, when you let people describe themselves as “progressive” the country turns out to be almost exactly evenly split between left and right ideologies. Basically, things are about as you would expect. And on specifics, there’s a strong desire for high levels of government spending with 79 percent agreeing that “Government investments in education, infrastructure, and science are necessary to ensure America’s long-term economic growth” and 69 percent agreeing that “Government has a responsibility to provide financial support for the poor, the sick, and the elderly.” This fairly overwhelming support for spending is tempered by more conservative views on some other issue area, and also by concern that government does work well in practice. 61 percent agree that “Government spending is almost always wasteful and inefficient.” CAP also coded as “progressive” the 65 percent who agreed that “Government policies too often serve the interests of corporations and the wealthy” but at least some of that might be skepticism about the idea that an activist federal government will actually side with average people, rather than a belief that we need to reverse the small-government policies of the past 30 years.
At the moment, yearning for big government outpaces doubts about its efficacy. And this is the essence of the current progressive moment of opportunity. But the gap is not large. Perceived failure could easily cause those numbers to flip and usher in an era in which progressives console themselves with the fact that 61 percent support more investments while ignoring the fact that 79 percent believe such investments would be wasted.
In the first instance, I think this means sorting out the banking policy issue correctly, rather than anything that’s about politics per se. You’ll never make a bailout popular, but you could make a bailout effective and economic growth would create confidence that Obamaism is delivering results. Beyond that, I do think the branding issue becomes important. It’s important to try to emphasize the fact that highly esteemed elements of the government—the military comes to mind—are part of a broader tapestry of public service. It’s important to highlight the good work of civilian agencies that happens in the background instead of only noticing the government when there’s a failure. It’s important to show that progressives care about improving the delivery of services and not just increasing the quantity of funds going in as inputs. Heck, it’s probably even important at some point to have some of Obama’s fancy graphic designers help make better logos for different federal agencies.
20 Responses to “The Public Wants to Believe In Big Government”
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March 12th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
At the moment, yearning for big government outpaces doubts about its efficacy. And this is the essence of the current progressive moment of opportunity. But the gap is not large. Perceived failure could easily cause those numbers to flip and usher in an era in which progressives console themselves with the fact that 61 percent support more investments while ignoring the fact that 79 percent believe such investments would be wasted.
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Another confidence builder!!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/03/another-top-tre.html
Third Top Treasury Pick Withdraws From Consideration
March 12, 2009 2:31 PM
Democratic sources say that H. Rodgin Cohen, a partner in the New York law firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and the leading candidate for Deputy Treasury Secretary, has withdrawn from consideration.
It’s the third withdrawal of a top Treasury Department staff pick in less than a week.
I reported last week that Cohen was likely to be officially nominated for the Deputy Treasury Secretary position.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
It’s the third withdrawal of a top Treasury Department staff pick in less than a week.
Good Riddance.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I wonder what Americains will say if they had to pay the same amount of taxes as in the European paradises you progressive seem to adore.
In Belgium for instance, the income tax is already 45 % if you earn only 17,610 EUR (about $ 20,000) and 50 % if you earn more than 32,720 EUR (about $ 40,000). And you can only keep a little piece of your salary because most of it go to pay the social contributions (for retirement, unemployment, family,…).
The VAT is usually 21 % (25 % in Sweden or Denmark).
The Death Tax can be up to 80 %.
Even after the oil prices going down, Gasoline for cars is currently still at 1,23 EUR for one litter (about $ 1.6 for one litter, or $ 4-5 for one gallon if I am not wrong).
When I see all the opposition to a little raise taxe concerning only the very wealthy, I wonder how you will ever sincerely implement such a socialist agenda in the United States of America.
It is easy to say “I want good public services, free education and health,…”, but thoses have a very heavy cost.
March 12th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Government has a responsibility to provide financial support for the poor, the sick, and the elderly.
Sometimes, in my quieter moments, I wonder, “Is CAP incredibly stupid and only capable of thinking in the most simplistic terms possible, or do they just think their readers/victims are?”
Then, I look at this site and I know the answer.
March 12th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
What this study demonstrates — tho’ never discusses — is that we need to coalesce around some terms. We need to use “progressive” instead of “liberal,” while describing our opponents not as conservatives but as “right-wingers” or “reactionaries.” But most of all, we need to banish the word “moderate.”
March 12th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Mr. Shapiro was a failure who worked for a failure. He’s full of it.
That too is a load of garbage.
One of those conservative views is when people, especially the poor and middle class, are forced to pay for all this “financial support”; that whole “tax-the-rich” meme the left has been spewing for generations ends up biting everyone but the rich. The other conservative view is that government sucks at doing most of everything mentioned. “Progressives” (leftists) should have figured this out by now, but they keep pushing the same thing over and over and over, as if 100 years of pushing for the wrong things hasn’t taught “progressives” anything.
March 12th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Shorter Matt: the way to implement my lifelong goal of putting the government in charge of every aspect of life is through better propaganda.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
It’s important to show that progressives care about improving the delivery of services and not just increasing the quantity of funds going in as inputs.
So far, President Obama and Matt haven’t helped the perception of government’s effectiveness by taking every time someone brings up wasteful spending as an opportunity to chastise them with, “You’re only talking about 1%.”
One percent of a trillion bucks is a lot of money to us commoners.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
You lost wingers, and your party is hated. Deal with it.
March 12th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Wow, a lot of right-wing trolls flocking to this post, while the regular commenters and usual suspects have gone away (even Al!). Interesting.
Since, unfortunately, I work for a living, and therefor can’t spend all day listening to talk radio, reading blogs and posting comments, what dymanic allowed this post to be taken over by the Grover Norquist wing of the GOP. Did someone on a right-wing blog link to this post. Did Rush’s show just end? A dead zone in the Fox News programming schedule? Did y’all just wake up from your naps?
March 12th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Shorter damned near everyone on here.
March 12th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Davis X. Machina Says:
March 12th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Shorter damned near everyone on here.
The Public Wants to Believe In Big Government
Well, they’re wrong. They just are.
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More like:
The Public Wants to Believe In Big Government – as long as they don’t have to pay for it
March 12th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Shine – you’re right. This is really weird. They must have all googled “Big Gov’t” or something. They are amusing for about 2 posts then it gets really boring. I hope they haven’t infected the rest of MY’s posts.
March 13th, 2009 at 4:37 am
Why does that picture show a New Zealand flag flying over the White House? Exactly which government are we trying to enlarge?
March 13th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Yeah, sure, government is bloated, ineffective, I could go on. But as one of those nameless, faceless federal bureaucrats that conservatives want so much to denegrate at all costs, I say this: We do what the Representatives of the American People (Congress) tells us to do within the constraints (particularly funding) that Congress gives us to the best of our ability. We’re not perfect, but we’r enot ignorant trolls either. If you don’t like how we do our jobs, then you have two options – cite specific examples of what you consider failed processes or programs,and then offer solutons that might actually help. Or, convince your Senators and Representatives to pass federal legislation that does away with our programs. Otherwise, please compost your rotten fruit, and go home. We’re sick and tired of being the Nation’s punching bag.
March 22nd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
i’ll reed it againn
March 22nd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
hello
just thanks
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:14 pm
i’ll reed it againn
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:32 pm
hello
just thanks
April 16th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Hello. I’ll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there’s evidence of any thinking going on inside it.
I am from Liechtenstein and learning to read in English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: “Search for best flight deals, last minute airfare and save big on your flight booking.”
With respect
, Una.