THE BUSH DEAL--CASH IN EXCHANGE FOR CULTURE (via mc):

Blueprint Calls for Bigger, More Powerful Government: Some Conservatives Express Concern at Agenda (Jim VandeHei, February 9, 2005, Washington Post)

President Bush's second-term agenda would expand not only the size of the federal government but also its influence over the lives of millions of Americans by imposing new national restrictions on high schools, court cases and marriages.

In a clear break from Republican campaigns of the 1990s to downsize government and devolve power to the states, Bush is fostering what amounts to an era of new federalism in which the national government shapes, not shrinks, programs and institutions to comport with various conservative ideals, according to Republicans inside and outside the White House.

Bush is calling for new federal accountability and testing requirements for all public high schools, after imposing similar mandates on grades three through eight during his first term. To limit lawsuits against businesses and professionals, he is proposing to put a federal cap on damage awards for medical malpractice, to force class-action cases into federal courts and to help create a national settlement of outstanding asbestos-related cases.

On social policy, the president is pushing a constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage in the states and continuing to define and expand the federal government's role in encouraging religious groups to help administer social programs such as community drug-rehabilitation efforts.

"We have moved from devolution, which was just pushing back as much power as possible to the states, back to where government is limited but active," said John Bridgeland, director of Bush's domestic policy council in the first term. Bridgeland and current White House officials see Bush's governing philosophy as a smart way to modernize the government, empower individuals and broaden the appeal of the GOP. [...]

Bush, never seen as a big fan of shrinking government, has chosen to redefine the Republican Party as more activist, "compassionate" and committed to providing individuals a lift through government policies, aides say. In doing so, he often pushes policies that require conservatives to sacrifice one principle to accomplish another.

George W. Bush, like any good Third Wayer, recognizes the truth of Daniel Patrick Moynihan's insight: "The central conservative truth is that it is culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society, The central liberal truth is that politics can change a culture to save it from itself." Mr. Bush wisely exploits the desire of folks to have the government spend money on them in order to purchase conservative influence over the shape of their culture. Thus was he able to use NCLB as a Trojan Horse for vouchers, Medicare Reform for HSA's, the Intelligence bill for civil service reform, etc..

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 9, 2005 10:00 AM