Politics, Beer And Other Parting Thoughts

• Published in: The Wall Street journal. Eastern edition
• Main Author: By Paul A. Gigot
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, N.Y Dow Jones & Company Inc 24.08.2001
• Edition: Eastern edition
• Subjects: Media coverage; Nostalgia; Politics; Term limitations
• ISSN: 0099-9660

Now and then some populist or reform wave breaks the inertia, but soon the natural accretion of power resumes. The lesson I take away is that the battles most worth fighting are the ones that alter fundamental political incentives -- welfare and entitlement reform, tax-cutting, education choice. Term limits were another until five Supreme Court justices read them out of the Constitution. On the left, that includes Ted Kennedy and Henry Waxman, who have done more than anyone else to expand the welfare state. On the right, it means Phil Gramm and Mitch McConnell, who opposed terrible legislation when no one else would. Mr. Gramm did it against HillaryCare and Mr. McConnell against limits on political speech, also known as campaign-finance "reform." The same goes for columnists. In retrospect, my favorite columns are the ones where I broke from the pack: Opposing immigration-bashing Proposition 187 in California when it was GOP orthodoxy; predicting the rise of Newt Gingrich as early as 1988, when everyone said he was dreaming; defending scientist David Baltimore against congressional tormenter John Dingell; anticipating that the 2000 election would be a referendum on character and culture, despite the Senate's failure to oust Mr. [Bill Clinton].