In January, a new wave of anti-government, anti-tax zealots took power in statehouses, governors' mansions, and the U.S. House of Representatives. Emboldened by their wins, conservative politicians across the country are now systematically dismantling public programs and services, attacking public employees, privatizing public goods, and drawing lines in the sand against any and all tax increases.

Their themes are familiar: Government is in the way and has no role to play in an economic recovery, taxes are always bad, tax cuts will spur growth, public programs are wasteful and unnecessary, private companies can do a better job, public workers are lazy and coddled, public spending is the root of our problems.