Rather than follow the traditional `tax and be frugal' policy of its political party, the Bush Administration is causing people to think that United States Republicans now favor a `borrow and spend' policy.
The new policy shows an irresponsibility towards the future, both in the amounts of debt passed on to children and in the environment they will grow into. Such irresponsibility manifests itself in a spendthrift government that makes tax cuts even though it is spending more on entitlement programs and failed to expand its military enough to provide sufficient soldiers for phase IV of its Iraqi operation. Moreover the new policy favors monopolies or partial monopolies by its lack of anti-trust enforcement rather than competitive markets.
The new policy cannot last, although it may last longer than any temporary opposition to it.
But it will fail eventually. In a few years time, Republicans who wish to re-enter politics in the United states must return to an updated version of their tradition. Or else they must become Democrats. As Republicans, they must again support responsibility, frugality , and markets.
Republicans must prepare a world for their and others' children and grandchildren.
Since many resources are limited, Republicans must preserve them.
Markets are more efficient than government or private monopolies. They are fragile and may fall to monopoly, corruption, and scam. Governments need to protect them.
U. S. Democrats should welcome Republicans return to decency. After all, as Adam Przeworski says
That is what the Republican party could provide the United States. But first they must learn that winning is not all. It is more important to survive. Only suicide soldiers hope to win while they die. More sophisticated soldiers take a risk, but hope to live.
Similarly, countries can undertake actions that lead to their death or diminution, whether suddenly or, more likely, over a long period. Successes do not think they can define dreams, the bad habit of empires; they base themselves on reality.
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