Infrastructure Quote by Charles Krauthammer
““Since forever, infrastructure has been consensually understood to be a core function of government. The argument between left and right is about what you do beyond infrastructure. It's about transfer payments and redistributionist taxation, about geometrically expanding entitlements, about tax breaks and subsidies to induce actions pleasing to central planners. It's about free contraceptives for privileged students and welfare without work--the latest Obama entitlement-by-decree that would fatally undermine the great bipartisan welfare reform of 1996. It's about endless government handouts that, ironically, are crowding out necessary spending on, yes, infrastructure.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Opinion column, The Washington Post, 2012
Infrastructure is seen as a basic government role, while debates focus on additional spending, subsidies, and welfare policies that may divert resources from essential projects.
In simple terms: Government should focus on core services, not excess welfare.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize essential infrastructure over expansive entitlement programs.
Themes
government
fiscal policy
infrastructure
welfare
politics
Mood
critical
analytical
concerned
Type
policy
commentary
analytical
When to use this quote
- budget planning
- urban development
- social program design
- tax policy
- public health initiatives
Key Concepts
public finance
policy trade‑offs
resource allocation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance social support with infrastructure needs?
- What criteria should limit entitlement expansions?
A Different Perspective
Excessive welfare spending can crowd out critical infrastructure investment.
