June 28, 2011
A Washington Post article on the budget negotiations told readers that the battle over the budget:
“has set off an ideological battle across the Capitol.”
It is not clear why anyone would think that members of Congress care about ideology. These are politicians who hold their jobs based on their ability to appeal to powerful interest groups, not their ability to espouse political philosophy. It is reasonable to assume that their stances on the budget involve appeals to these interest groups, some of whom are anxious to avoid higher taxes and some of whom value the government programs that could be cut. There is no reason to assume that ideology has anything to do with this dispute.
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