"Starve the Beast" is a surprisingly bipartisan tactic. For example, it's no secret on the right that entitlement spending has the US government on a course tow

"Starve the Beast" is a surprisingly bipartisan tactic. For example, it's no secret on the right that entitlement spending has the US government on a course towards bankruptcy. So the right wing tends to think the left wing is stupid when they support even more generous benefits. But I read an interview with Paul Krugman the other day where he acknowledged the fact that our entitlements are unsustainable. Of course, having a Nobel prize in economics, he would not be so blind as to miss our looming national bankruptcy. But he figures if the public finances get bad enough, then politicians will be forced to raise taxes and/or nationalize health care, i.e. follow the leftist plan. The theory is that if politicians play chicken with global debt markets then eventually they will be forced to swerve. Krugman has more faith in politicians than I do. I think the politicos are going to drive us off a cliff. Starve the beast comes in many guises. Even the most shrill critics of it's practice by the right wing (such as Mr. Krugman) practice it themselves. I don't think any such tactics are terribly smart.