MSNBC: Americans Are Too "Obsessed" With Freedom

the fundamental questions to me will is what's going to be our relationship to government the idea of government after this there is a primordial American tradition going back to the founders of being freedom obsessed even though we're a country founded on slavery and genocide being freedom obsessed to the point that we are always so afraid of the government coming for us that we are blind to other types of threats whether it's a virus whether it's bank malfeasance or what have climate change what have you ever since Franklin Roosevelt promised Americans a new deal in 1932 liberal politicians and pundits have insisted that the government must do more to alleviate poverty increase economic security and enhance the quality of life but the word more implies there's a level of government activity that would be enough in reality however there's never enough that's because the liberal theory and practice of activist government is an endless pursuit of a goal that can't be achieved when was the last time you heard a liberal politician say yeah we solve that social ill we're just going to close up that government agency now zero out the budget and move on to another problem what you hear instead is that we need more and more always sets the stage for still more down the road America's Founding did not just establish a government but defined a nation with a distinct character healthy skepticism of government even when it announces the intention to use its power benevolently is a central feature of that character that don't tread on me spirit that animated the founding remains strong most Americans persist in believing that a government powerful enough to give you everything you want will also necessarily be powerful enough to take away everything you have including your freedom freedom obsessed conservatives believe that government power must be limited because the alternative is unlimited government liberals don't share this concern if there's a social problem whether it's a virus whether it's bank malfeasance or what have climate change what have you they believe the best solution is a new government program if it fails to achieve its goal which it invariably does the solution is a bigger government program more and when does more become enough the honest answer is never thank you for watching this video to help keep Prager you videos free please consider making a tax-deductible donation