The Party Of Limited Government No More

For decades the central pillar of American conservatism has been small and limited government. Ronald Reagan put it most succinctly in his first inaugural address famously quipping that “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.” But last week, when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law stripping Disney World of its unique independent status, it became clear that something has shifted, that todays conservative leaders are less shy about using the levers of governmental power. It is a sea change in American politics.

The Florida attack on Disney, which certainly seemed retaliatory, sparked a serious and fructive debate on the Right. It wasn’t just the MSNBC and Bulwark, Never Trump, pretend conservatives throwing their usual fit, this time. Sturdy Right-wing pundits and elected officials alike publicly criticized the legislation as big government overreach. They have a point, but then again, so does Ron DeSantis.