America, UnLtd.

Today's title may fool you. I mean, who could oppose the unlimited extension of the blessing that is America to ourselves and our posterity, indeed, to the world? But by the absence of a "limiting principle", Claremont's William Voegeli means something else altogether.

George Will does a nice job summarizing Voegeli's Never Enough: America's Limitless Welfare State by comparing the informing and animating principles of "progressivism" with those of the Founders. But I think a simpler explanation for the limitless government of progressivism is available.

Progressives are in the first instance motivated by the pursuit of equality. The Founders were moved to reach for the "blessings of liberty" instead. These two principles, as Alexis de Tocqueville instructed us in Democracy in America long before progressivism was even defined, much less fashionable, are in the final analysis on a collision course with one another.

The problem with equality as a goal, especially an eschatological goal directed by capital "H" History, is that it is not only illusive, it is impossible. Impossible ends, however gloriously described, justify any and every means, i.e., unlimited means, for their achievement. In fact, the very impossibility of the end means that yet another means is always available. There are an infinity of roads that lead to nowhere, to utopia.

So, can we reasonably expect progressives, i.e., contemporary liberals to one day concede, "Enough"? Never.