Jonathan Rauch argues that we have witnessed a likely step increase in the size of the national government (from 21% to 25% of GDP) and that it is time that Republicans accept this fact and accept a value added tax that will increase revenues (from 18% to something higher) so that we can have a sustainable budget.
He picks this up from a recent article written by Bruce Bartlett claiming that Republicans must adapt to the welfare state. This will be difficult to do, tax cutting and welfare bashing has becomes a standard feature of Republican politics. But Eisenhower, Nixon and Reagan all made their peace with welfare, and the current party must also.
