Well, the progressives strongly support soft paternalism. And hard paternalism.
Meanwhile, those americans who are not progressives, of course, chafe at progressive paternalism, which is often geared toward remaking society along progressive aesthetic and cultural lines. Thus, we have progressives arguing for taxes on soda and fast food, but not for 500 calorie biscotti, or 750 calorie Soy Chai mocha lattes from Starbucks.
American opposition is not generally a policy level opposition, but a meta-level opposition to granting these powers generally to the government. There is a common recognition among US conservatives, libertarians, and many liberals that governments do not produce optimal policies, so granting them vast new powers is incredibly risky.
Anyway, I agree America would be better off in some ways with more soft paternalism. But it would predictably be worse in some ways, as well. It isn’t obvious that the positives would outweigh the negatives.
Well, the progressives strongly support soft paternalism. And hard paternalism.
Meanwhile, those americans who are not progressives, of course, chafe at progressive paternalism, which is often geared toward remaking society along progressive aesthetic and cultural lines. Thus, we have progressives arguing for taxes on soda and fast food, but not for 500 calorie biscotti, or 750 calorie Soy Chai mocha lattes from Starbucks.
American opposition is not generally a policy level opposition, but a meta-level opposition to granting these powers generally to the government. There is a common recognition among US conservatives, libertarians, and many liberals that governments do not produce optimal policies, so granting them vast new powers is incredibly risky.
Anyway, I agree America would be better off in some ways with more soft paternalism. But it would predictably be worse in some ways, as well. It isn’t obvious that the positives would outweigh the negatives.