'Big Government' Isn't the Problem, Big Money Is

thenation.com — Conservatives love to rail against “big government.” But the surge of cynicism engulfing the nation isn’t about government’s size. It flows from a growing perception that government doesn’t work for average people but for big business, Wall Street and the very rich—who, in effect, have bought it. In a recent Pew poll, 77 percent of respondents said too much power is in the hands of a few rich people and corporations. Not a day goes by without Republicans decrying the budget deficit. But its biggest driver is Big Money’s corruption of Washington. “Big government” isn’t the problem. The problem is the Big Money that’s taking over government. Government is doing fewer of the things most of us want it to do — providing good public schools and affordable access to college, improving infrastructure, maintaining safety nets and protecting the public from dangers — and more of the things big corporations, Wall Street and wealthy plutocrats want it to do.

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