The Conservative Revolution

Stephen Rose and Anne Kim point out in today’s Wall Street Journal that even though Americans are worried about the economy, most do not want to enact the big government programs that Democrats favor.

In a February 2007 poll conducted by Democracy Corps, 57% of Americans agreed that “government makes it harder for people to get ahead in life,” and 54% thought that “government mostly gets in the way of the economy and job growth.” While people not hurt by recessions are open to helping those who are, Democrats cannot assume that economic recessions automatically translate into broad public support for major government interventions.

Despite the hyperbole of comparing the current economic trouble to the Great Depression, the American people are not ready for another socialist expansion in America like the New Deal. Bad news for Obama and Clinton.

The Wall Street Journal explains why Texas is doing well economically and Ohio is not.

Ohio now ranks 47th out of 50 in economic competitiveness, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council. Ohio politicians deplore plant closings even as they impose the third highest corporate income tax in the country (10.5%) and the sixth highest personal income tax (8.87%). A common joke is that Ohio lays out the red carpet for companies — when they leave the state. By contrast, Texas has no income tax, a huge competitive advantage.

It’s instructive to read the whole article. The Journal points out that NAFTA has been great for Texas and that the unions in Ohio make it a less attractive state for businesses.