But, as James Kwak and I explained in our book on US fiscal policy, White House Burning, the time when the Republican right favored responsible budgets and financial stability has long since passed. Now the right – increasingly catering to a Southern, rural, and white constituency – cares much more about shrinking the federal government, and in recent years has viewed shutting it down or threatening nonpayment of debts as a way to “starve the beast.”
原因之一是美国政治的分散性，当选官员相比之下无需对党派领袖负责。近几十年来某些共和党的支持者和捐赠者已明显向右翼转移。但正如詹姆斯·夸克和我在合著的美国财政政策著作《燃烧的白宫》中所诠释的那样，共和党右翼青睐负责任预算和财务稳定的时代早已过去。现在的右翼越来越迎合南方农村白人选民——只关心如何削弱联邦政府，且近年来一直将关闭政府或威胁不支付拖欠债务作为“饿死官僚巨兽”的一种方式。