I came across this stunning chart today:
(source: Martin Wolf, Financial Times, "In defence of the state"--non-paywalled here.)
Like a good lapdog, entirely out of sync with the times and/or reality, Mr. Wolf stares at this eye-popping graph...and reaches the incredible conclusion that what America needs is more government.
Not better, faster, more efficient, more competent etc. But more. Bigger.
Modern life is complicated, and non-market overlords, paid out of general taxation on productive activities, makes that life better!
Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either.
Now, obviously I'm just an idiot somewhere in the ethereal world of the internet commentariat, but what tha actual FUCK?!
Like, what sort of insane ideological lens does one need to employ to observe the largest(-ish) size of American government ever, hear about some schmuck half-way across the world trying to reduce that slightly along the margins (#889477), and conclude that that is a government coup and contrary to civilized society?
The copium among the legacy media and general intellectual class is astonishing.