The Conservative Nanny State

Yesterday's great find on the Internet was The Conservative Nanny State by Dean Baker of The Center for Economic and Policy Research. The book is free and available in PDF and HTML formats.

In his new book, economist Dean Baker debunks the myth that conservatives favor the market over government intervention. In fact, conservatives rely on a range of “nanny state” policies that ensure the rich get richer while leaving most Americans worse off. It’s time for the rules to change. Sound economic policy should harness the market in ways that produce desirable social outcomes – decent wages, good jobs and affordable health care.

Conservatives are every much in favor of big government as those on the left. Where they differ is on who gets the benefit. Conservatives favor the rich. Those on the left favor the middle and lower income classes.

One needn't go farther than reading the brutal facts and numbers in today's NYT piece, House Pass's a $2.7 Trillion Spending Plan by Edmund L. Andrews, for a graphic illustration of the point.