Do Americans Have a Secret Love Affair With Big Government?
Those who criticize federal spending may not know exactly what it supports.
Laura D'Andrea Tyson, former chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisors in the Clinton administration, says that many Americans who viscerally oppose "big government" simply don't know what it really is.
"A lot of those voters who criticize big government don't know that Medicare is big government as they define it," Tyson told Reuters' digital editor Chrystia Freeland.
When asked specifically about government's role in areas such as roads, airport safety, research and student loans, "Americans say, 'Yeah, we actually support those things,' " Tyson said.
Here's a clip from the interview:
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