What should this election really be about?
I just finished reading a book on the historic economic theory battle between Keynes' government stimulus, deficit spending approach and Hayek's free market, limited government solutions the day before Paul Ryan was announced as the vice presidential candidate for the Republican ticket. This did two things, 1) confirmed for my wife that I am a really big nerd, and 2) really helped ground me in what we should care about when voting. The vision and ability to deliver on that vision should really be the criteria for making our decision this November. I like to look at the numbers a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, they just don't matter that much when deciding how to vote, because the world is so very dynamic.
Forget the details, ask yourself this question: Do you fundamentally believe a larger government has a better chance of securing future success for America? I am not sure you could ask that question so plainly before as Mitt Romney talked great free market rhetoric but had some flaws in his game (i.e. Massachusetts Health Care) that may have made you think he was not serious about free market solutions. With his pick of Paul Ryan, Romney's vision is no longer a question, he is a free market, small government guy all the way.
Many of my favorite liberal buddies continue to claim that they a 'fiscally conservative'. Well here is your chance to put your money where your mouth is. Never has an election been more about the direction of the fiscal policy of this country. You must decide if you prefer a bigger government or smaller government approach, and the differences are plain:
Obama:
Increase Taxes
Increase Spending
Increase Entitlements
Increase Regulation
Romney:
Reduce Taxes
Reduce Spending
Reduce Entitlements
Reduce Regulation
Big Government or Small Government? No need to get swept up in all the details.
