Douthat, Again

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/09/douthat-liberalisms-glass-jaw/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20121010

"The steadily worsening deficit picture, meanwhile, has been a reminder that an expanding government balance sheet only makes sense if you can persuade taxpayers to pay more to cover it, which Obama’s party hasn’t done. More importantly, given the limit to how much money can be extracted from the wealthy, it only makes sense if you persuade middle class taxpayers to pay more, which Obama’s party hasn’t even tried to do."

To what extent is this a problem with liberalism, versus a problem with our political culture in general?  First, "an expanding government balance sheet" hasn't applied to Obama's unrealistic promise to expand the liberal agenda.  On healthcare, Obama needed to convince voters that the country could be paying much less for healthcare, not more, in spite of expanded coverage--and then complete the hat trick by crafting and passing legislation that controlled costs rather than exacerbated them.  While costs have risen in the short term, the evidence is still out on whether Obamacare can in fact bend the cost curve down the road.  

The only flagship liberal project that has significantly grown under Obama, that I can think of, is SNAP.  The crux of the expanding government balance sheet comes from decades-old entitlements that, policy-wise, liberals and conservatives alike realize are unsustainable.  Where Douthat is right, however, is that liberalism has failed to make a persuasive case for the level of taxation I think is necessary for our modern government.  Where I once again differ with him is that this is as much or moreso a factor of both parties being dragged to the right, as it is a factor of some intrinsic failing of liberalism.