Arthur C. Brooks was a Seattle-born liberal, but today he is president of the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right economic think tank in Washington, D.C.Brooks sees two competing visions for America’s future. To him, our excessive government spending and regulations have pushed us near a tipping point,...

In today's economic context, where an ever-increasing portion of the U.S. budget deficit is being financed by foreigners and where entitlement programs threaten to compound an already highly compromised public finance position, there is real risk of either a destructive burst of inflation or an outright government debt default.

Interview with F. A. Hayek.

If the government pays for you, then the government tells you what to do.

The question of the proper size and scope of government creates many rifts, even among conservatives. In this AEI debate, both Brooks and Ryan make the case for their competing visions of America. The conversation serves as a vivid reminder that even those who often agree on most things can differ on the basic question of the government's purpose.

Poverty rates should go down. But does that mean it's the government's responsibility? Maybe the answer is yes. But if it is, the burden of proof should fall on those who, in effect, want the government to win the future by "investing" in shoes--rather than on those of us who are open to the idea of turning back the clock.