If the Beltway politicians aren't really trying to solve this crisis as quickly as they could, what are they trying to do?
One important clue may be a recent statement by President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel, that "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste."
This is the kind of cynical revelation that sometimes slips out, despite all the political pieties and spin. Crises have long been seen as great opportunities to expand the federal government's power while the people are too scared to object and before any opposition can get organized.
How exactly will money spent on family planning and money given to ACORN stimulate the economy? Shouldn't we put more money into the hands of American families and small businesses to stimulate the economy?
Democrats are fond of making the argument that government is the only player big enough to stimulate the economy, but they're wrong. The only players with enough clout to stimulate the economy are the same ones who are in control of the government: the people. We should be the ones deciding how our money is spent, not politicians in D.C. looking to get "free" (read "our") money for their favorite constituencies.
