Biden’s Budget Reflects an Outdated Politics
Republicans continue to fight for smaller government, and Democrats for a more active government, even though their voters don’t necessarily share those goals.
Girding for a budgetary battle.
Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg
President Joe Biden's budget plan received a sharply critical response from Republicans this week, which is hardly surprising: The two parties have very different visions for the proper role of government. What is surprising, however, is how wide this ideological divide has remained even though voters’ partisan identities no longer reflect their economic class the way they once did.
US politics can often seem like it’s dominated by the culture wars, but most of what the government actually does — taxing, spending, regulating — remains firmly planted in the economic realm. And conflicts between politicians remain strongly polarized on matters of dollars and cents. With the Republican majority in the House of Representatives vowing to use the upcoming appropriations process and federal debt-ceiling increase to force spending cuts or entitlement reforms, Biden’s budget proposal is the opening shot in what will likely be a fierce battle.