Uncle Sam Is Not Your Neighbor
Our federal government has essential but limited duties and authorities. In its legitimate spheres of responsibility, Uncle Sam ought to act. But outside those areas, he should not.
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to define those borders. As is the case whenever someone must determine, absent perfect information, what is “in” and what is “out,” there will be Type I and Type II errors—mistakenly labeling an “out” as an “in” and an “in” as an “out.” In governing, progressives typically make the false-positive mistake, identifying areas for the federal government to act where it should not. American conservatives can be guilty of the false-negative mistake, arguing that Uncle Sam should stand down when he ought to stand up.
Continue reading the entire piece here at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute
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Andy Smarick is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on Twitter here.
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