Capitalism is a force for instability; it churns out new winners and losers every day. How should the government respond to this, particularly if you are a conservative, and therefore dislike change?
There are three broad options:
- America was built by winners. If you subsidize losers, you just get more losers. If you keep the economy free, the strong will thrive, and everyone will gain in the long run. Ignore the short term pain for the weak and inefficient.
- Embrace the destruction process, but build and operate a welfare state that guarantees the losers a decent way of life.
- Stop the destruction process altogether with tariffs, subsidies, and regulations.
The first alternative is associated with the CL and PBP factions of the GOP. The second opinion is held by CDs and most of the left. The third is the Reactionary position.
Trump moved the GOP away from #1 and towards #3. Will that trend continue, as Reactionaries amass more and more power within the party? That is a known unknown for 2024.