Why? I’m not sure. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the legislation includes no DACA change, or maybe they just don’t want to vote for any bill that Donald Trump signs. In any event, they are all staking out a position to the left of an outcome that has Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer popping champagne corks. That is where the Democratic Party is today.

But back to the original point: all Republicans, and some Democrats, run on a platform of smaller government, less spending and lower taxes. Voters, more often than not, elect such candidates. But the forces pressing for more and more spending, toward ends that are increasingly removed from the proper purposes of government, are inexorable. Barack Obama said that elections matter. He was only half right: you can vote for conservatism, but you can’t get it.