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"The most leftist administration in American history?"

Matt Welch | September 23, 2008, 9:24am

That's the question posed about the late George W. Bush era, by George F. Will:

The political left always aims to expand the permeation of economic life by politics. Today, the efficient means to that end is government control of capital. So, is not McCain's party now conducting the most leftist administration in American history? The New Deal never acted so precipitously on such a scale. Treasury Secretary Paulson, asked about conservative complaints that his rescue program amounts to socialism, said, essentially: This is not socialism, this is necessary. That non sequitur might be politically necessary, but remember that government control of capital is government control of capitalism.

Will is also shrill about Bush's would-be successor:

Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.

Whole thing here.

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Comments to ""The most leftist administration in American history?"":

Mo | September 23, 2008, 9:38am | #

Is joe ghostwriting for Will these days?

jtuf | September 23, 2008, 9:38am | #

Q: What's the difference between a Democratic administration and a Republican administration?

A: A Democratic president violates privacy and raises taxes, then gets criticized for raising taxes. A Republican president violates privacy and raises taxes, then gets for violating privacy.

libertarian democrat | September 23, 2008, 9:39am | #

The bill Bush started with is in some ways more like the economic views of fascism, with some of the democrat provisions attempting to make it into socialism.

Of course, fascism is a horribly imprecise word. And, despite my dislike of the administration, they aren't nearly as bad as those that were considered fascist. I am only trying to illustrate the two different forms of government intrusion, though.

Episiarch | September 23, 2008, 9:45am | #

Left, right, it's all a distraction. They're all statists, and prove it again and again.

Sausage Swingin' Libber | September 23, 2008, 9:45am | #

How about the most statist administration in history? A compromise that all us here would agree with, no?

joe | September 23, 2008, 9:47am | #

How did John McCain get to be the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committe, anyway? This is a guy who says, after decades in office, that he doesn't know much about the economy, and proceeds to prove it.

Wouldn't Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, or even Government Reform have been more natural assignments for him?

Sausage Swingin' Libber | September 23, 2008, 9:48am | #

joe ... is that a rhetorical question?

libertymike | September 23, 2008, 10:04am | #

Geez, for a self-professed afficianado (read: know-it-all) of america's pastime, it sure took Will a long time to pick-up the rotation (spin) on the GOP's breaking stuff.

BakedPenguin | September 23, 2008, 10:15am | #

libertymike - for most of the time, he wasn't facing their pitching.

R C Dean | September 23, 2008, 10:21am | #

Good question, joe. I suspect its a little more broad than that, though.

How did __________ get to be the Chair of the __________ _________ Committe, anyway? This is a guy who says, after decades in office, that he doesn't know much about the economy, and proceeds to prove it.

Fill in the blanks with, say, Charlie Rangel and the Ways and Means Committee, for example.

Tom Walls | September 23, 2008, 10:24am | #

Good piece, but Will's analysis of McCain's temperament sounds like this guy "COL. A.M. Khajawall [Ret]." (google him) who posts comments on just about any and every news site.

I always thought Khajawall was just some insane, tireless poster until I read his words reproduced in Will's column.

joe | September 23, 2008, 10:26am | #

I get it, RC! Because having a different philosophy about government and economic policy is the same thing as not knowing anything about the subject.

Demand Kurv!

Brian24 | September 23, 2008, 10:33am | #

joe, I'm on your side on a lot of things, but I've heard Charlie Rangel talk about economics, and he doesn't know a damn thing about it.

Of course, neither does 95% of the Congress.

joe | September 23, 2008, 10:57am | #

I'm not defending Rangel in particular.

R C Dean | September 23, 2008, 10:57am | #

Because having a different philosophy about government and economic policy is the same thing as not knowing anything about the subject.

Charlie Rangel apparently has no working knowledge of the tax code that he is responsible for as head of that committee, joe.

I would be fascinated to learn that Rangel even has a philosophy of government and economic policy. From what I've seen, his philosophy mostly has to do with embiggenment of Charlie Rangel. Like most politicians.

rhywun | September 23, 2008, 11:04am | #

"This is not socialism, this is necessary."
Yeah, only handouts to the bottom four quintiles of the country are "socialism". Duh.

some fed | September 23, 2008, 11:04am | #

Don't worry so much about "the most leftist" award.

The worst part is going to come in 25-odd years when G. W. Bush joins the train of economic/military interventionists (FDR and Lincoln, for example) who number among the country's favorite Presidents...

...unless the next President outdoes the current one in economic and military intervention, in which case "Bush" becomes the new "Hoover".

N.B. Rangel's alleged tax indiscretions, if proven to have foundation, are just as likely to indicate excellent awareness of the loopholes in the tax code's enforcement (a serious bipartisan issue!) as ignorance of the code.

Tim | September 23, 2008, 11:28am | #

I thought the American political system had checks and balances to protect against brazen power grabs and reckless policies?

PS Bush sure knows how to end his term on a bang. Let's pray there isn't an Al Qaeda October Surprise to really put icing on the cake.

jtuf | September 23, 2008, 11:33am | #

I'm betting on October 6th.

Mad Max | September 23, 2008, 11:35am | #

The Rebublican Party's new campaign song:

"So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race."

Franklin Harris | September 23, 2008, 1:09pm | #

I'm betting on October 6th.
I'd short that, but apparently, shorting is now illegal in this "free market" economy.

Ben | September 23, 2008, 3:08pm | #

While Bush is highly statist his only new legacy program (i.e. entitlement expansion is really the Medicare Prescription Drug Scheme. That is what will explode the deficit and make more people accustomed to a full socialized health care scheme. The Patriot Act and No Child Left Behind are really drop in the bucket in an increased expenditures.
My vote for the most statist President remain tie between FDR and Lyndon Johnson. Try as they might any Republican comes across looking like a piker in comparison.

zoltan | September 23, 2008, 3:35pm | #

Because spending billions of dollars on a war each month isn't statist; it's just irresponsible.

Jon H | September 23, 2008, 6:02pm | #

"While Bush is highly statist his only new legacy program"

Don't forget the TSA.

Tom Walls | September 24, 2008, 3:04am | #

Will means the Queen of Diamonds, not the Queen of Hearts.

John Sidney McCain is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.

TrickyVic | September 24, 2008, 9:18pm | #

"""My vote for the most statist President remain tie between FDR and Lyndon Johnson. """

And FDR was elected 4 times. America loves a statist.