Right Side of the Rainbow

I miss the days when Republicans had principles:

WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled Congress, in a departure from the traditional GOP support for states’ rights and limited federal rule, has been moving on a number of fronts to curtail state and local powers over matters important to business groups and advocates of tighter national security.

The recent moves by Congress have begun to provoke objections even in states that are socially conservative and have pro-business governments.

“It does appear that Congress is becoming increasingly unplugged from the states,” said Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican. “It’s a real growing source of frustration for both Democratic and Republican governors.”

There are days when I’m really quite stunned by how undisciplined my party has been in the exercise of power. Had you told me ten years ago that the hallmarks of a Republican Congress would be prolific spending and a betrayal of federalism, I would have said you were nuts.

Note to file: power corrupts even (especially?) Republicans.

ADDED — Relatedly, I heard the economist Thomas Sowell say again today in an interview on Fox what he has said many times before: “Democrats are the only reason to vote for Republicans.”