Budget reformers need to remember three things...

First, this is not a political fight between Republicans and Democrats; it is a fight against 50-year trends toward statism. Second, it is a moral fight, not an economic one. Third, this is not a fight that anyone can win in the 15 months from now to the presidential election. It will take hard work for at least a decade.

Consider a few facts. . .

CARPE DIEM: AEI's Arthur Brooks on the Debt Ceiling in the WSJ

NOVEMBER: Americans must make a choice in favor of their traditional free enterprise system or else they will lose it.

Last week, Congressman Paul Ryan and I published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal entitled “The Size of Government and the Choice This Fall.” The article argues that Americans must make a choice in favor of their traditional free enterprise system or else they will lose it. Why? Because otherwise the choice will be made for them—a rejection of free enterprise and an embrace of big government, not in one fell swoop but one seemingly small, creeping government expansion at a time.

Our Journal piece ends with this:

Every day, more see that the road to serfdom in America does not involve a knock in the night or a jack-booted thug. It starts with smooth-talking politicians offering seemingly innocuous compromises, and an opportunistic leadership that chooses not to stand up for America’s enduring principles of freedom and entrepreneurship.

The article provoked a great deal of reaction...

Read more

Fairness vs. Freedom

5 minutes you need to spend!

Former chamber musician now freedom fighter Arthur C. Brooks on Reason T.V.

Author of
THE BATTLE

Conservatives more generous than liberals

Syracuse University professor Arthur C. Brooks...the child of academics, raised in a liberal household and educated in the liberal arts...has written a book that concludes religious conservatives donate far more money than secular liberals to all sorts of charitable activities, irrespective of income.

The book, titled "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism" (Basic Books, $26), is due for release Nov. 24.

One reviewer said something that I believe is the real heart of the matter: "It should be obvious to any clear rational person that liberals are only concerned with helping the poor with OTHER people's money." [emphasis mine]