SACRED COWS, third rails, and the scope of government.

The debate over cutting federal spending has so far concentrated on shrinking the size of the federal government, not necessarily its scope. Even if Republicans prevail in cutting some spending and reforming entitlements, the federal government will still be involved in a wide swath of American life. There really hasn’t been a serious discussion (outside of votes on funding for NPR and Planned Parenthood) of shrinking the breadth of governmental spending, activity, and involvement. Continued failure to do so would be a serious substantive and strategic error. Merely reducing spending in certain areas while leaving the departments, agencies, and programs intact ensures that those departments, agencies, and programs will soon resume growing and even metastasizing. It’s the Washington way.

I love the use of the term 'metasticize.' Government is a cancer on the body politic. It’s time to start excising the cancer.