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I consider 40% to be a big chunk. If you add in restrictions on what we can do with the money, then the government controlls well over half of our spending decisions. I think the appropriate word for somebody who believes this size of government is appropriate would be 'social democrat'. If you want to push that up by 20% or so, then you move to 'socialist' and if you want to push it down by 20% or so, then you'd be a 'liberal democrat'. True, that would make the Howard government a social democratic government - but given their record I think that's a fair assessment. Note that they are not social democrats because they believe in the principles of social democracy - but because they are conservatives and are conserving the status quo (social democracy).
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