id Re . Ga Franks et a raw deal from the Black Caucus? The RIPON $2.95
Vol. XX IX, No.4 November 1993
President Dole comments on Clinton's Care Reform, NAFTA and The Christian Coalition
GOP Pro-Choice Women: They're Baaack! The Ripon ForuDl Contents
ED ITORIAL HEALTH CARE The Fault Line ...... 4 Questions for Hillary...... lO Greg Senile/fell has a.few questiolls for 'he First VER STORY Lady 0 11 her heallll care program. The Man Who Would Be Presid ent...... 6 Prescription for Success ..... 14 Scnafar Robert Dole I(Ilks 10 The Ripon Fo rum Presidellt o/,he /-Iea'"1 Insuronce /lssaciMioll oj about NA/;TA, hea/'" care reform. 'he Christian A merica, Bill GradiSOll, agrees wi,h Presidelll Coo/ilio/l alld fhe '96 presidelltial race. C/i" (OII'S health care goals, bUI this former COI/ gressman says 'here are belter ways o/goillS about POLITICS it. Delegate Debacle ...... 5 PO LI CY Arthur George digs deep illto 'he RNe archives 10 discover 'he Party's rilles arc 1101 as inelusive Urban Deceit...... 28 10 A/rieall AmeriCOIlS as they should be. Brian /-look explains why taxes alld subsidies lakes a city /lowhere, fast. Republican Women Sti ll Want a Choice ...... 16 TRADE AI/flry Dellt Crisp, Clwirlllttll of the National Re Corporate Ratin g ...... 24 publican Coalitiollfilr Choice. says tlte c rusade is Todd Malan says the Clinton AdmillisfratiOlllleeds I/O! Oller. to look twice at its policy of rating COlllpflllies. Foreign affiliate f/lld foreign owned does IIOt nec The Trojan Horse ...... 18 essarily meall less return. Ralph Reed, executive director of fhe Christiall Coalit; 011. has decided to broaden h is orgoll i=atioll S Clinton and NAFTA...... 25 tlgclldo (0 illelude policy issues ralher Ihall jllSI Jowa Uep. Fred Grandy says its more dum jllsI (I :l;ocial issues. lie's gal the moneyalld the time. but SlIcking lIoise. from what experience doth ftc speak? Cory Sibbie reporfS. BOOK REVIEWS Man with a Mi ssion ...... 22 lrreconci ble Differences: Alldrew II. M cLeod reviews Days of GNu.:e : A Gary Franks & th e Black "d emoir by Arthllr Ashe wit" Arnold R ampenwt/. Caucus ...... 12 Washington N& Q ...... 3 J Louise Palme r says Rep. Franks maysollllddiffer elll from his colletlglles. nevertheless, his cOllser- 1I01;\'e ideals arc something to think abollf, The Li ghter Side ...... 30
2 The RIPON FORUM ----ll 227 Massachusetts Avenue 1--1-
The Ripon Educalional Fund wr.l.ppcd la\\makers presented a very interesting 1993 Transatl antic Conrerenee (TAC), up a successful policy conference on Mis_ perspective on the Clinton budget pack sponson:d by The Ripon Educational sues Facing Ihe 90's" in St. Paul, Minne age 3S well as health care refonn and Fund. This is the eleventh in a series of sota on September 27th. Speakers in NAFTA. confe rences. Previous conference loca cluded Ripon Vice President Gregg On October 27th, the Ripon Society ti ons inc lude Rome, Prague, Vienna,Lon' Edwa rds , M i nncapol is ChambcrofCom sponsored a breakfast allhe Capitol I Iill don, Oxford, Berli n, Brussels, Washing meree President, COllnie Levi, Center of C lub entitled "The Politics ofNAFTA.'· ton, D.C., and Paris. The conference pro the American Experiment Presidenl. Speakers included Sp ecial Advisor 10 vides a unique opportunity for American Milch PellTISlein, State Senator, Dtl1HlC the President ror NAFT A, T he Honor government and business leaders to meet Denson and Minnesota Lt . Governor. able Dill Frenzel, Congressman Newt thei r overseas counterparts to discuss cur J oanell Dyrstad with Sarah Jallllcck, Gingrich or Georgia, House Minority rcnt foreign and economic policy. Minneapolis attorney. moderating. After Whip. and Congressma n Jim Kolbe of For more information on the Trans the policy conference. the Ripon Society Arizona. Each of the spcakers discussed at lantic Conference please contact J ohn hosled a reception 10 honor Minnesota the North American Free Trade Agree Sullivall at 202-547-6808. Governor Ame Carlson as "Ripon Re ment and answered questions afterwards. Since Clinton was elected last year, publican or the Year," Carl son was pre Minority Senate Whip, The Hon· there have been six political contests with sented with the award because or his long orable Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming national implications including the Vir siandingdcdicalion 10 women's and civil will be awarded the 1993 Jacob K. bvits ginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, rights. Over I SO people attended both Excellence in Public Scrvice Award. The the mayoral electi ons in New York, Los events. Our thanks goes out to all those in Ripon Society will present this award on Angeles and Jersey City as well as the Minnesota who really made this event a November 29, in New York City. The Senate races in Georgia and Texas. In huge success. Look for the ne.'I(t policy award is presented each year to the indio each race, a RepUblican who espoused conference somctime this winter. vidual who reflects Senator Javits' com· moderate views ran and won. Therefore, The Fall morning breakfast series mitment to conservative values and pub Ripon would like to extend a special con· "Taxes and the Budget" sponsored by the lic excellence. Previous recipients include gratulations to our new national Republi Ripon Society closed on October 6th with the Honorable Howard 8aker, Senator can leaders GO \'ernors George Allen Colorado Congressman Scott l\·lc1nllis. 80b Packwood, Da\'id n.ockerell er and and C hristine Todd Whitman, Mayors Speakers for the series included Wa .~ h· Gonrnor W illiam Weld. R udy G iuliani, Richard Reardon and ingtoll Senator Slade Gortnn. Connccti· Lisbon, Portugal is the site for the Bret Schulldler, Senators Kay Bailey cut Congress man C h ris Shays and Colo- Hutchinson and Paul Coverd ell . rlldo Senator Hllnk 8rowli. Each of the The RIPON F 0 R U M
THE Rl PON FORUM (lSN 0035-5526) is published bi.monthly in 199] byThc Ripon Society. Contents ASSOCIATt:. I.OI10R Mimi Carter arc copyrighted 1993 by the Ripon Society. Inc .. 227 Massachuscus Ave .. N.E.. Suite 201. Washington, D.C. 20002. COSl kllHfUNG LUll OIlS Michael Dubke In the Ripon Forum. the publishers hope to provide a forum for fresh ideas. and a spirit of creative Candace Locklear criticism and innovation in public policy. ManuscriplSand photographs are soli cited, but do not represent wnORIAlllOARO the views of the Forum unless so stated. Peter Smith David A. Fuscus Second class postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address Jean !laycs changes to Ripon Forum. 227 Mass3ehusetlS .. N.E .. suite 20 1 Washington. D.C. 20002 Bill Tate Steven Klinsky SubSCription mil'S: 518 per year. S9 for stud ents. servicemen. Peace Corps. Vista and other volunteers and $30 for instimlions. Overseas. please add 58. Please allow live weeks fo r address change. ~IIOIOORAPHV Kim Alfano The Ripon Society Inc .. Peter Smith. president. is a research and policy organi7..3tion whosc memhersare I N"~klOR Alii business. academic. and professional men and women. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with Ch3rlie DeWitt National Associate members throughout the United St3tes. Ripon is supported by chapter dues, individual contributions, and rewnues from its publications.
NOI'en/her 1993 J Editorial
The United Stales Govcnuncnl, led and new \'1xes are Dctuall y deficit reduction. by the Democrats, stumbled and squcczcd And they know enough to raise a skeptical itself for a dubious victo!), in the Clinton eyebrow at the concept of go\"emment rein budget (lnd tax initiath'c last month. No \'esting, as opposed to private sector, small light banter about this "ltmdslidc" could business job creation stimulated by stable hide two facts: olle,lhis president has yet to taxes and a lighter regulntory load. gain the confidence of either the people or Americans arc confused and angry about his pm1y's leadership, lind second, the Con politics where entitlements arc cut, only to gress has not yet been able to change its rise, and where the military is restmctured W3)'5, its language or its bchaviorlolllcct the only to requirc more money. For cxample, budget rcn.litics of the dIly or the radically the people of Califomia, Maine, Virginia, changing expectations ond uspirutions orthe and New York, who have taken sllch geie\' American clectorn!c. "111is is a bmsh which ous und direct hits \\~th base closings, dOli', lars all our leadership 3nd, ultimately, both like the political calculus that takes thc parties. savings from those 4 111e RIPON FORUM Comment WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE PARTY OF LINCOLN? By Arthur George W ith ofl ycar elections approaching and President Clinton balancing equal representation by population (on the basis of and the Democrats increasingly ineffectual, Republicans stand congrcssional districts) with equal represcntation of slatcs (on to make their most serious bid for their most elusive prize, the thc basis of at-large senatorial seals.) House of Representatives. The "Under the Oaks" convention in Jackson, Michigan in An ossified party structure, however, d:lIing back to an 1854, for example. was based on congressional districts. The obsolete demographic strategy of the 19205 and a historical first National Convention of February 22, 1856, held in Pitts hodgepodge of archaic rules, continues 10 hinder Republican burgh. deelared th.:11 it should consist of delegates from each election opportunities and makes charges of discrimination state equal in number to double the numberofRepresentativcs and exclusion in GOP politics predictable. in both Houses o f Congress. In Philadelphia, that same year, The Republican Pany is the only right of center pany the delegations were composed of three delegates for every 3mong thl: world's democracies that has faik' d to control its congressional district and six deh:gates-at-large from each popular assembly for more than two consecutive years since state. the end of World War II. The orientation of the GOP with the electoral college Since 1932, the GOP has controlled the I-louse a total of served two o f the parties central themes. First, this was the four years at two different intervl'lls, those between 1947 and parry of equality that reawakened the Jefferson ian ideal and 1949, and 1953 to 1955 in the 80th and 83rd Congresses. There ('n('ourag('d an enlightened citizenry with control at the con was a time in Republican history, ofaboul 70 years, when the gressional and state level. Delegate selection based on a opposite was true. multiple ofth(, F('deral Congress ensured that the control was Republican rules history can be divided into roughly two consistent with thecompromise between the smal[er and larger 70 year periods, 1854 to 1924 and 1924 to th(' present. states enshrined in Article I of the Constitution oflhe United The rules of the first seventy years rdleet('d th(' GOP's States. Secondly, the GOP was the party that creaced the commitment to a party run at the congressional and state level Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Con and committed to equality for all Americans. stitution. It was, in fact, a moral force. The rules changes of the second seventy years effectively With such inspiring and universal principles behind it, the undercut thesc principles and reprcscnt an attempt to targct GOP was able to control all three branches of the government ce rtain Americans to the exclusion of others. within the first six years of its founding and remain the dominant national party, more or less, until the ascendancy of T HE FIRST 70 YEARS Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal Coalition in the 1930s. The parry's single issue orientation on the question of The party structure stood as a neutral integrator of the slavery was grounded in the notion of the equality of al! opinions and programs of Republicans on the national level. Amcrieans within a strong fcderal union. The party at its inception purely followed the composition of Congress in Contin1led on page /9 November 1993 5 Cover Story Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole is now the titular head of the Republic an Party. How does the 5th term senior sen ator from Kan sas handle the task of The Senator who would be President RipOl' Fomm: We arc going to ta lk about pulling together a couple ofwceks. I haven' t heard President the future oCtile Republican Party, the Clinton Clinton mention it for the last several weeks Administrati on, and the mid-term elections. fragmented party , because we're oul there helping the No rth The defeat of President Bush last year was a Ameri can Free Trade Agreement. We'rc stu nning blow to Republicans 6 'nle RIPON FORUM DOLE: I think it's too carly lotcll , for Medicaid, but the President this is going to be a process that is 5.1id, when he talked to Congress, going to take a year or morc. II may hc wants to prcsel'vc Medicare. take a little Icss, but I doubt il. And So, that's where we ' rc going to get wc just go back on all the things most of it, cost containment of Presidcnt Clinton talked about in Medicarc and Medicaid. February, March, April, May about RF: President Clinton has 5.1id hea lth care. I would guess Ihlllmany that abortion might also be in of the big issues arc going to be price cluded and availablc to women controls, pU lling a cap on insurance who cannot afford it in II sect ion prcmiums, whcther you're going to called " pregnancy rclated ser force people into pla ns thcy don't vices." Would you support the want to be in, eliminate their ehoicc package if it included such lan of physicians, and morc federal con guage? And how would you try to Irol. Peopleareworricd about federa l bri ng pro-choicc and pro-life Re control. Wc've had a lot of calls just publicans toget hcr to support a today saying " We're opposed to so- comprehensive plan? r,======i1 DOLE: II is never going to happen. II seelils to me that what "I don 't agree with ever your issue is, and whatcver your views on that issue, I think it Ross Perot." ca n hang up the whole program. I,!;;;======::!J So, let's try to debate thai sepa cializcd medicine." Peoplc don't rately. I think President Clinton like turning things ovcr to thc gov· might send it up he re with some ernment. and wcsee a lotofthat with thing (l ike that I in it. Then he can Clinton's program. H..1Vings.1id Ihal, 5.1y to whoever, " Well I tried." we 'vc indicated to the President, But hc won't shed any tears if mally of us, that we think thc dia Congress takes it oul. And again, logue has started, the starting gun and I know its very important, very has been fired, wc're rc.1dy to go to emot ional issue, but we're dea ling work. We lIlay havc 10 divorce each with Jifeanddeath issues 011 health other somewhere down the road, but care that ought to be resolved. right now I think wcwant to havc thc There arc going to a lot of people hea rings. Thc President has said he who want Ihings that aren't going is flexible, we're fl cxible. Wc'rc to be in there. So, I hope that it ca n opposed 10 new taxes, he wou ld like be dea lt with separately. somc taxes. Let us see what we can RF: The President 's support on do to make it work without punishing NAFfA seems to be waning. I small businessmcn and women. know that yo u have articulatcd RF: What do you think is the yO UT support, but Republican si ngle factor that will reall y reduce House members such as Mike costs for health ca re? Crapoofldaho and Olympia Snowe DOLE: Well, I think that both thc of Maine arc against it. Do you Clinton plan and all the Republican think with the new side agrce plans that I have seen, and there arc ments NAFfA will pass? And scveral, say cost containmcnt, pri what does the Presidcnt need to do marily, will reduce the cost ofMcd to pull his own party togethcr for icaid and Medicare. Now, there arc p..1SS.1gC? limits on how fa r you can go, and DOLE: He told mcjust recently how mally votes you can get in this that he fcels better about NAFfA, placc, to reduce the cost of Mcdicnre in fact he told me ycsterday morn and Medicaid. Even though you arc ing. But whcn I read the paper, going 10 be able to go into other loday 's for cxample, it looks like plans,you won't need as much money more Republicans are dropping November 1993 7 off. I hope we're not playing gamcs. RF: How will you bring along those yem. My " jew is we ought to support Republicans who have voiced thei r oppo RF;Do you think the Clinton honey NAFT A because it is the right thing sition? moon is over? He was having difficulty to do, not how many Delllocrats vote DOLE: We probably won't get every earlier in the summer, but now he sccms fo r it, how many Republicans. If we Republican in the Senate either. Ifwe can to be pulling himsclfback up wi th health get mOS t of the votes, thnt 's fin e get 38 or 40 Republica ns, we ll that is care reform and the middle cast peace because it is the right thing to do. It's pretty good out of 44. I mean the Demo agreement, ctc. going to create jobs and opportuni cratsonly have to furnish 13 Democrats to IJOLE; Ithinkheisdoing that. Ithink ties in America, and that's whll! it is get 51 . Theycangctbywith 12andadoor presidents go up and down. Obviously. vote. So the House Re President Clinton is going to go up and publicans arc saying, down. We' re going to try towin, we have " Well. if we're going races to run, but we're not trying to to have 50votes,you've embarrass the President. Ifhedocsbetter, got to furnish 50." I'm that's fine. We will tr), to come up with not certain we ought to beller ideasat election time towin seats ill play that game because the House and thc Senate in '94, and two I think it is so impor- outstanding Governor's races in 1993. in "People don't like tu rning things over to the governrnent, and we see a lot of that in Cli nton's [health carejprograrn." tallt we pass NAITA. Virginia and New Jersey. Then in 1996 RF: Many high pro we will try to helpMr. Clinton out, out of file Democrats, such as office. Majority Leader Rich RF: Lcts talk about races. In 1994, the ard Gephardt, and the Republicans might have a shot of win Housc Democratic ning b..1ck the majority in the Senatc. In Whip, David Bonior, your opinion, where arc the target states areopposcd to NAFfA. and where do you think the Republican Will they help kill Party can make the most difference? NAFfA? DOLE: Well, there arc a number of J)OLE; I think their target states. I just named two. [ th ink opposition is going to Arizona, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio, all aboul. We believe in trade. We be fairly muted. They arc going to take that's rour. Our mottoofcourse, sinccwc don' t believe in protcctionism or votes, obviously. If you have organized have 44 (scats in the Senate), is " Seven bui ld ing a wall around America. labor saying they arc going to wi thhold More In '94 ." I'm not certain we're Me.-.:ico is our third largest trading support unless you vote against iI, it is going to allain thaI, but we always arc partner, Canada is numbcrone. Thcre going to have an imJ)<1ct. 111e), need to \'el)' optimistic. If the economy gets a arc 700,000 jobs in America. Ameri find a 100 Democrats over therc some little better and Clinton is doing a lillie can jobs that arc making products whcre to vote for NAFfA. Ifthey only get betl er, it will be tougher to pick up scats. thnt arc cxponcd to Me.xico. Every 11 8 Republicans, that will be hard to do. Plus we have some tough scats. We havc time they spend a dollnr for imports, It shouldn't be hard, it ought to bea slam open sea ts in Wyoming and an open scat 70 cents comes to us. And there arc dunk, in Illy view. in Missouri and an open in Minnesota. alt kinds of reasons we ought to RF: [t seems that PerOI'S voice is Those arc three, particularly Minnesota, support NAFfA So we're going to constant and getting louder, like a slow that will be tough to keep. Missouri is a kecp pushing the Presidcnt and the drip. tough Democratic state ror the most part. Democrats to gct this done. The IJOLE: Yes, well I don't agree with What we need arc good candidates, and longer they wait, the more trouble Ross Perot, I don' t know what hisagemL1 we still have a number of states without they arc going to have, in my opin is, but Illy view is that this the only jobs candidates, such as Connecticllt, New ion . opportunity we arc going to have this Jersey. Nonh Dakota. So we arc working 8 TIle RIPON FORUM on it, and we think Ihal if the economy sta rt winning, people start showing up at thcy'reexercising their majority. J've shou id jusl sort of stagger along, iI's not mcctings. We're going to haveourdifTer told otherpcople that ifyou don 'I like good news for business, but it's good enccs, we're going to have our controver it, go out and run for precinci office. news for us becausc we ean piek up scats. sies, but if we didn't have any competition You C.111' 1 fault people who use the RF: What do think thechanccs are for the party would be pretty dull too. legit..im.1teproccssand\\~n. Butwe've a moderate Republicall to gain the Min· RF: Many in the Senate, and in the got to be more than a one-issue party, nesot;) scat or any of these other states? Republican Party have been nervous th ..1t's the point I'vebeentl)'ing make. DOLE: I think Minnesota is a critical about the increase inpoiitic.1 1doutof Pat RF: The last question Senator is one, it is a moderate slate. There are not Robertson and the Christian Co.1 lition. how was New Hampshire? a lot of conservatives, but there are good Arc you worried moderates. The governor is a moderate, about the innuence r-r------ Arne Carlson. In Missouri, I think Gov· ofthis group and the emor Ashcroft isquileeonscn'auvc. Wyo low public image ming is still wide open, maybe former that many Ameri Secretary Dick Cheney or maybe Craig cans associate with Thomas or Lynn Cheney. We've got a them? moderate nmning for governor of New DOLE: Well, "In my state, the right-to-life groups have taken over two of our largest counties .. .I 've told other people that if you don't like it, go out and run ... " Jersey, Christine Whitman. That's the I've never first big test this year. I' ll be upthere soon pcoplelhcycouldn'l to campaign wilh her. vole for me, I don't RF: What arc the eharaeteriSliesofthe run around giving ideal Republican Presidential candidate litmus tests. InfacI, for 1996 nlld how can we bring Ihe mnny I told the Christian subsets of the Republican Pany together Coalition, whcn I to agree? addrcsscd them a DOLE: I think we have to do that couple of wceksago, between now and 1996. Ithink that 1996 that wc shouldn't is too far away, we have elections this give lilmus tests in .L--'~ year, we have elections next year. One our party because way to makecenain we dowell in 1996 is we havediffercnt ideas, diffcrent philoso DOLE; New Hampshire is greal, to continue winning elcctions. Wc've phies. But there is something that brings pnrtieularly when it is hot. A lot of won Iwo Scnnte scats since Clinton's us togclheras Republicans, maybe it's the I>copie nrc heading up there. Phi l clcclion, in Georgia and Tcxas. Wc've economy. maybe it 's something else, but Grnmm is up thcrc a lot. Jack Kemp nlso won the seat for MayorofLos Ange· it shouldn't be somesinglc issue. I said it is hcnding thm way. Dick Cheney Icsand Ihe lieutenant governor of Arkan· thcre and I say it everywhere. I want the has been up there, Bill Bennett, Lynn sas. We arc winning clectiollS, thm tells Republican Party to be thc majority. It Mnnin. I'm sure Ihat after all the you nbout thc pnrty, nlld they' re moder doesn't have 10 be a majority iIlnde of governor's races in 1994, there will mes, conscrvntives, wilnlever. So, if we people who think like I do, or like some be three or fourofthcm heading that C.11l win in New Jersey and Virginia, and bodyelsedocs. TheDemocratsareable to way. If Governor Wilson wins in pick up seats in 199-" we will be in prelly contain all their different views. some Ca lifornia, he'll be a factor. It 's a good shape in 1996. It tends to bring times we find it more difficult. good place to go, bUI I think you people together if you are wi nning. You In my state, the ri ght-t O- life groups shouldn't over do it, though, thi s mny not agree on evcry issue, but if you have taken over two of our largest COIIIl emly. I don't intend to go back for a are winning clcctions, unless it is just tics because there was nobody running fo r while. R somebody you can't lolcrate winn ing, I precinctoffice,and they went inand filled /I ,filll; Car/cds associate editor of think it's likcanylhingclsc. Whcn people the office, now they have a majority, and The Ripoll Forum. 9 Health Care most Ameri cans from viewing this as a rcal cri sis. Is 14 percent of GNP really too much to spend on health EMERGENCY care? Is it a crisis? Well, maybe, but it scems to be a crisis mostly in the eyes of policy wonks. And it has almost always been a crisis for such wonks. Only a few years ago, in 1975, Excuse me, .. .Hi llary.. .lra? Is professors and academics were sounding the alarms about the "astronomical increases i n cost" when heal lh spendi ng reached this the health care reform pro 8.3 percent oflhe GNP, and they were equally alarmed about the "crisis" in 1970 when it was 7 percent of thc GNP. gram we really need? The optimal percentages on what we spend on health earc food and enterta inment seem to keep changing. Have we sel a goal as to what these should be and, if so, what is it? By Greg Scandlen 2. IS MANAGED CARE REALL YTHE PANACEA? Hcalth Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and other fomlS of managed ca re have been around a long time now, and lots of people arc in them. In fact, over half of all employees As the Ad mini stration and the Democrat ic National with he,lth coverage were in some form of managed ca re Commincc switch inlocampaign mode to scll lhciT health care system in 1992, including4 1 million in HMOs. But they don' t plan to the public. the opportunit y for thoughtful discussion of seem to be doi ng much to hold down costs. Many health the issues is rapidly slippi ng away. Soon we will be beset by economists argue that because HMOs generally attract a heated rhetoric intended to bludgeon public opinion rather younger, healthier population, their primary s.wings can be than enlighten it. As Clinton's numberonc political strategist, auributcd to customers not needing as many health care lames Carville, saidcmlicr Ihis year about pushing hc..111 h care services. Further, there appcars to be one time savings when reform, " we're going to roll over the opposition. " Not per· people first emoll in the HMO after which cost increases sunde or educate or rcason with, but " roll over." pmallel very closely wi th increases in traditional fee-for In fact the Administration wasted a wonderfll l opportunity service plans. to persuade, educate and reason with the enti re nation when it Much has been made of a recent employer survey by the closed the door on the workings of its he,lth carc task forcc. consulting firm of Foster Higgi ns. This year their survey Instead of sharing the thought process with the rest of tile showcd that premium increases betwcen 1991 and 1992 were country, they chose to work in secrct, behind closed doors. We lower for HMOs than they wcre for traditional insurance may nevcr know cxactly what they lookcd at or why they arrangements (8.8 percent vs. 14 .2 percent,) but in the previ acccpted or rejected any particular idea. ous ye1 r, the survey found that HMO premiullls wcnt up Illore So, before we get totally " rolled over," her are a few than traditional insurance plans. And while 52 percent of questions the task force may never have asked, let alone employers surveyed said their HMOs cost Icss than their answcred: traditional plans, 30 percent said the HMO cost more. Sa will managedenre rea\lysolvc aU ourproblems? It would 1. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SPEND appear that those employees who would like to be an HMO ON HEALTH CARE? already a re, so where arc the cost savings going to come from? It is widely ngreed that we spend more on health care than lfwe force Ihe ot hcr halfofthe popnlation into managed care, any other cou ntry and that 14 percent of the GNP (or GOP) is will lhere still be savings? Even ifthosc people arc older and too much. But one of the rcasons we spend a gre,ter portion sicker than the existing HMO population? on health care than other countries, is that we spend a lesser portion on other things, like food. America ns spent 14.42 3. SHOULD HIPCS OR HEALTH ALLIANCES BE THE ONLY percent of their household budgets on food in 199 1, while the WAY TO PURCHASE COVERAGE? Japanese spent 25. 10 percent. We also spent less than lhe Joint purchasing is a great id c.1 and mnny slllall businesses, Japancsc 011 entcrtainmcnt , 5 perccnt vs. 9.6 perccnt, and like local chambers of commerce and tradc associations, have clothing, 5.9 percent vs. 7.3 percent. We spent only 5.25 already joined together to take ad\'antagc of grcatercconomies percent of our houschold budgct on mcdical care, but 17.4 of scale and clout in the market place. But these arc voluntary percell! on transportation and a whopping 3 1.4 percell! on associations. They must be run effi ciently and provide good housing. The Japanese spend roughly halfofwhat Americans service or their members will go elsewhere for coveragc. But spend for e, ch ofthosc categories. The fnct that we spend Icss the Clinton proposal would establi sh state mn or non-profit fo r health than we spend on clothing is part of what prevents " health alliances" which would be the only way anyone could 10 l 11c RIPON FORUM C\'cr obtain covcrage. No one would be magnitude of the problcm justify the allowed to pu rchase an insurance po licy If the standard for contort ions? that wasn't enrollcd in thc Health Ali i· success or failure of Most of the uni ns urcd spend less ance. Thc Na ti onal HealthBoard wou ld than fourmonths without coveragc. Gcn t hcn decide what plans are ccrt ificd and. the new system is crally, these are the people in betwcen thcrcfore, could p.1rticipate in the Health jobs, or people who haven't been on the Al l in nces.ovcrsee an annual cnroll mcnt universal coverage, it is job long cnough to qualify for fringe process, collect all thc prcmi ullls and destined to fail. There bencfi ts. Of thcse 15 perccnt, those p.:lSS thcm on to the insurers. uninsured who arc wilhout covera ge for If an association stops being vol un· are too many people ... two or morc yems arc probably poor tary ·· if everyonc must purc hase covcr who are not functional single mcn, likc thc homelcss, orehild· age, and the Health Alliance is the onl y Icss couples who are not allowed to way to get it ·· whcrc is the incentivc to enough to enroll in any obtain Mcdicaid, reg.1 rdless of thcir be efficiently mn and provide good scr povcrty. vicc? Evcn thc great California Publ ic insurance program, The uninsured still reccive hc.:1lth E mploycc Rcti rcmcnt Systc m even a free one. serviccs, at about 75 percent of the rate (CaIPERS) which provides health cov· of the uni nsu red, by payi ng out of pockct, cragc for ovcr 800,000 peoplc and is tory events that could have serious con going to publ ic facilities, or going to ollcn ci led as a model for "managcd sequcnces for the whole socicty: privatc hospita ls which ca nnot deny competition" is 3 voluntary arrange· thcm carc. mcnt betwccn C.1 lifornia publiecntilies If ew!r),ollt! mu ~1 purchase, thell we The burden of frcc carc on hospitals li kc Ihe county govcrnmcnts, munici· nlll .~' cOlllro/ lI'lwl it ,'s ,hal tlr ey ure is actua ll y only 6 perccnt of hospital p..1Iilics, school bomds elc. These Clll· require(! to buy; rcvenues. Wh ile somc hospita ls offer ployers arc frcc 10 go clsewherc if thcy much Illore frcccarclhan that,otJi ersdo can gct a bencr dcal. Indced, the cvi· lIavil,c cOl/lrollct/ the prOt/llcl, we not. Many of the uni nsured are able to dcncc would suggcst that a Health Alii· ",,1 :<.1 next cOIl/rollhe price of 'he pay SO IllC or all of thei r medical bills ance must be voluntary to besueeessful. prOt/lief to pre,'ell' proflteeri"c; dircctly. so the burdcn on most hospitals o f provid ing charity care is not 4. UNIV ERSAL ACCESS OR Noll' l/la/lire price is conlrollct/, WI! unmanageablc. UNIVERSAL COVERAGE? must crea/(! a m echanism to !mhsi· Most of the problcm of thc uninsurcd Not llIany wou ld disagree that C\'cT)·· (Ii:,#! those II'lr o CUlI 't afford Cl'CII the could be solvcd through a combination one should havc acccss to covcrage and cOl/frollc(/ price; of an improvcd Medicaid program that to heal th careserviccs. But that is much rcally cared for thc poor, fa ir lax Irc.1t· diffcrcnt than 5..1yi ngc\'cryone IlI USt havc lIovil1g a subsidy, we ,mu1 develop a ment fo r peoplc who pay for their own a health insurancc policy. process if upplicatio" ami approval insura ncc, rca l cfforts to lowcr Ihc cost lfthc standard for succcss or fail ure so tha( Oll/Y tlte truly m!e(/y are of carc such as allowing people to sct up ofthc ncw systcm is univcr&1l covcragc, subsidize(/; their own Medical Savings Accounts. it is dcstincd to fail . There are too many and adequate fu nding for our public peoplc in our socicty who arc not func· Now thai the needy are subsitlhed, health fac il ities. This could all be done tional cnough tocnroll in any insurance we "lIIst create a new lax ~ystem to without lhe upheaval a mandate would program. cvcn a free onc. IJI cg.1 1i lllllli· pay f or the new subs;(/y,' cause. gra ntsareoncsuch group.Othcrarc thc homeJcss, crimi nals, drug addicts, and Tlr ell we must prm,irfe ass;sfaflce fa 5. HILLARY, HAS THIS ALL BEE N thc illilemte. those people or hll .fit, esse.~ II'ho CON SID EREO? Evcn asidc from Ihesedysfullclionals, lI'oult/ he hurt by Ih e lIe w f lL'I;t!.\·; Or arc wc supposcd to takcyour word how wil l a mandate be enforccd on the for it that cl'crytlling has been consid· res t of us? What iSlhc penalty for failing Alltl at ew!ry step of the way we have ered? Is it possible that. cven with 500 to cnroll? What social uphcavals arc we to set up policing, en/orcenU!lIl, alld lawyers and profcssors advising you, willing to endurc to fo rce peoplc to buy appeals procetJures. somet hing may have slipped? I just an insurance policy? thought I would ask. R Once we take thc step of making the All of this for what? To make sure Gregg Scal/(JJell is Executive Director purchase of private health insurancc that 15 percent of the population with· oj the COlillcil Jor Affordable Health mandatory, wc set offa chain of rcgula- out insurance wi ll have it? But docs the Insurance. NOI'f!mbcr 1993 II Politics Strange Bedfellows by Louise Palmer Over the summer, members of the Congressional Black results from Washington, the question is whether there is room Caucus, an orga niz...... tion of African American House mem in Congress for alternate views on what is best for black bers, many of whom have spent their lives battling discrimi America. nmion, found themselves in the undesirable position ofcasting More vitriol begllll to seep out of the caucus aner it voted, out a fellow member whose idc..1S of racial equality they in Franks' abscnce, to lim it his pnnicip..1tion in the activities consider divisive and unpalatable. ofthe caucus. " I have no desire 10e..1t their fried chicken and Following a blistering atlack on Ihe character of conscrva leave, " Franks responded. Flouting Ihe golden nile ncver to tive Rep. Gal')' Franks, R - Conn .. by Rep. William Clay, D criticizeanOlher member. black lawmakers publicly ridiculed Mo.. the caucus voted unanimously to limit Franks' role in the and denounced Franks, s.1y ing he was morc conccrned with group. Ancr Franks threatened to sue. the media jumped protccting his vote base, which is predominantly white. than aboard, and the group backed down. with fighting discrimination. Rep. Mel Reynolds, 0-111., Tensions then reached a breaking point during a caucus provided a view into the inflammatory charges. meet ing with President Clinton. AI the meeting, Franks "Gary wa nts to pretend that racism docsn't exist as far as opined thnt the act of creating a minority-dominated district it relates to blaek people," 5.1 id Reynolds. who had proposed amounted to " racial gcrrym:lIldcring," conscquently outrag a motion to permancntly remove Franks from the caucus .• 'He ing ca ucus mcmbers. Franks' subsequent " Dea r Colleaguc" always S.1yS ' I had a KKK cross burned on my lawn: and leiters outlining his propos.1 1 to b.11l such practices took the things like thai, bUllhat 'sjust a game. Garycaresabout gelling caucus over the edge and fun her alienated the Republican re-elected. nOl about fighting discrimination." member. After Franks threatened to resign, Caucus Chairman Clay then faxed cvcry reponer in lown an open letter 10 Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., called a pressconferencc to announce Franks staling thai, fo r Ihegood ofthc country. Franks should that the caucus had reversed its dccision and was determined resign from the caucus as he had threatened to do weeks to let Franks air his views and cast his votcs. Mfume made it ea rlier. " It is incumbent on me to reiterate my opposition to clem that he would block attempts to throw Franks out while your insensitivity to and callous disregard of the b.1sic ri ghts reserving the option to fo rm a Democrats only black caucus in and freedoms of 35 million blaek Americans," Clay wrOl e. the future. " To remain silent any longer, might al a future time, imperil But the issues underlying the controversy are far from the well-being ofblaek America." resolved and the irony of the caucus action clearly was nol The unr;l\ 12 111e RIPON FORUM This leavcs Ihc caucus to pondcr how its mosll)' liberal to Congress in significant numbers for the first time since thc members should respond to black conservatism that poses a Rcconstmction. challenge to their unity. Franks stands apart from thc group Now Franks calls into question some of Ihe measures Iha l not just in his political affi liation as the only black Republican made thosc laws a rea li ty. Franks supports the recent Supreme inCongress, but in his ,------, Court decision on re- political base as well. di stricting wh ich, in Heisbound to havcan Clay's words, " dimin- o,;",,",ion ditTe"nt Black co nservatism , in the form of Clarence ishthcctTcctivencssof from the average cau- thc Voting Rights Act eus membcL Thomas or Shelby Steele, is a presence in in drawinglegisl",ive Can thcgroupaf- districts designed to fordtololcratcamdi- the co ll ective Afric an American mind. The "med)" a whole cen- c.,lIy divergent per- tury of past discrimi- specli vc whe n its caucus does itself harm by quarantining the notion"· F NOI'ember 1993 13 Health Care Prescription for Success by Bill Gradison Health care reform is needed and it is needed soon. On this we all agree. Democrats and Republicans, consumers and business persons, young and old, all believe that America cannotenterthe 21st century with a health care system that does not quite measure up to those of other leading industrialized nations. Our competitiveness, our stature, and our goals as a society are all at stake. The reali zation Ihat we have lost ground has been a bitter Price controls havc lIe\'er dOlle what they arc supposed todo; pill. While we remain the 1c.1dcr in medical research and curb costs. Moreover, the majorpricc control the White House technology. and the leader in the qu., li ty of our medical talks about is a cap 011 insurance premiums. Premium caps services, we have failed to provide health care security for all prcsenl a disinccntivc 10 ncw invcstmc nt·- and this at a time our citizens. And recently. not only America's poor (histori when Ihe industry will need a massive infusion of moncy to cally. the focus of hC.1 lth c.1Te reform movements) but its adequately coverthe J7 million AmcriCllllS soon to be privately middle class has begun 10 feci vulnerable. insured o\'er the next decade. Lfwe want growth·-and we must We simply cannot have so many of our citil.cns living havc it 10 seT\'e our new customers--a cap on premiums is precariously, in fear of inadequate care and lack of coverage. c:..:actly the wrong way to go about it. Comprehensive, affordable coverage fo r everyone is our ccn Many peoplc who support ca ps do so because they believe tral goa\. thai he-11th insurers make inordinatc profi ts. Actuall y, its hard PrcsidC II( Clinton has sta rted us moving in tJle right direc to make moncy in hcalth insurance. Insurcrs who provide tion. His proposal is rar-sighted a lld gencrous. Whilc our individual insurancc products to their custoillers have consis purposcs a rc shared-·and cut across pa rty lincs and sectarian tently suffered losses ovcr the past seven yea rs, a nd those who intcrcsts--some di sagrccmcnt remains about how to achievc provide groupprodllcts havc fa red littlc beller: the average ratc thcm. Morc specifi cally, Ihree arc.1S in the Administration's of return is undcr 2 percent, which is Chr below that of many proposal arc of particular concern : price controls, exclusivc othcr health care industrics. Therefore, burd ening one of the health allia nces a nd pure community rating. 1c.1st profitable playcrs ill health care with price controls 14 l1lc RIPON FORUM doesn't makesensc. especiall y when the weight oftha! burden Ic\'el of coverage. Equi table? Not really. In addition to an could drive some companies out of the health insurance onerous financial burden on the young, who will pay far more business, thus placing some insurance recipients at risk of an than they do today, a person with an unhealthy lifestyle, maybe abrupt loss of coverage. someonc who doesn' t e:-:e rcise and smokes three packs a day. I am also skeptical about exclusive health alliances. Under will pay thc same premium as someonc who e:-:erciscs regu the Clinton proposal. employers with fewer than 5,000 em larly and has ncver smoked. This is 1I0t only unfair, but ployees and all individuals nOI employed by large companies, undermines prevention a nd well ness programs. wou ld be required to buy health insurance through a regional If the insurancc indust ry's concerns ovcr price controls, or state purchasing mechanism called a health alliance. These e:-:clusive health alliances a nd pure community rating are alliances will have to live wilhin a federally determined global addressed (and our concerns a re shared by many outside the budget. Thus, when an alliance goes into the insurance industry), reform will be less disruptive, simple rtoadminister marketplace, it wi ll be less likely to buy indemnity insurance and morc consumer fricndly. thai covers fcc-for-service a rrangements and wi ll be more As for those of us in the he.."l lth insurance industry, we wi ll li kely to buy managed care. While managed care is an continue to listen to our customers and work with fede ral and e:-:cellent option fo r many, some paticnts rea lly need --and 3rc state legislators tocraft the best reforms possible. Our re rorms willing to pay e:-:tra foro-indemnity insurance. But with then must be,and will be, the result or bipanisan compromise. arbitra ry spending limits in place, somc alliances may be inrormedby what thc Americ."ln public wa nts: comprehensive unable or unwilling to ofTer consumers an indemnity option. coveragc for all, achieved through a dynamic partnership Consumcrs will then be deprived of their ri ght 10 choose fcc between public and private seclors. Ultimately, only this type fo r-service coverage. of holistic approac h will help enhance our competitivcness Establishing purchasing pools that will increase the abroad a nd advance our social goals NO J.'l!mbe.r 199J 15 Politics MEN Still Want A Choice. A ye.a r ago, moderate pro-choice Repub wake up call the Republican Party needed. licans emerged from the most divisive and The polilicallnndscopc is markedly different damaging Republican National Convention today. and evell those responsible for them arc in decades. Some plunged headlong into the begi nning to acknowledge the role intoler battles of tile Fall c.ampaign, hoping to make ance and extrem ism played in the Pany's the best ofa b..1d situation. Others continued losses. With li ttle left to lose, and much to by to seck an otltlcl, a voice for the lrue Republi gain, dialogues and reconci liations that would can tradition oflimited government and indi have been impossible a ycm ago arc being vidual rights, even though we knew we were undertaken. Into this atmosphere, renewed Mary unwelcome in our own p.1ny. Many more -- cfrons to restore the Republican Party's true 100 many -- choked once too often on the pro-choice tradition arc laking shape. Moder outrage sparked by to the fanatic right-wing ate groups, including pro..choice Rcpublic.'lll exclusionists. They left the p.'1rty, never, I fear. advocates, must move forward with the fol Dent 10 return. lowing thoughts in mind. For those of us in the pro-choice Republic.1n LET NO ONE ELSE DEFINE US ..• OR ruE movement who labored on, our determination PRO·CHOICE ISSUE was strong, but our hearts were hc.w)'. We The first battle we must win is the percep Crisp knew our Party had turned its back on its own lion battlc. For too long, moderate pro-choice pro-choice majority. We suspected, even as RepUblicans h;wc allowed the opposition to the c1ections approached, that the Party had characteri ze us as radical, out-of-t ouch, dis also succeeded in alienating and offending loyal. These characteriz.at ions arc directly Amcric.1ns of every stripe, including the inde controverted by fact. Who can fail to agree pendents and cross-over Dc mocrats that every that it is the anli-choice faction, who repeat Republican c.1ndidme needs to win. All too edly fai l to convincingly distance themselvcs s.1dly. we were right. from vigilantes who gun down doctors, that is, The Rcpublican Pany caromed through the in fact. ., radical?" When nearly 70 percent of fall, only to awake the morning after Election RepUblicans believe abortion should remain Day to a whopping political hangover, cour legal, who would not categorize the anti tesy of the radical, anti-choice right wing. It choice wing as " out of touch?" And, most took some people longer than others to admit importantly, when the 1992 elections proved to themselves whal Ihe poll dma showed be· beyond doubtlhat the Rcpublican Party's anti yond dispute -- that those who had allowed the choice, intolerant rhetoric and policies turned Party to become a perceived, and (oooften, an vOiers away, who can believe that it is not the actual ha\'t~n for the radical, anti-choicc right pro-choice, moderate Republi c..1ns who arc wing had cost us election after election. from fighting to save the Party? the While House al1 the way down the ticket. FIGHT WHERE THE BATILE IS As difficult as that " hangover" was 10 Elections arc won and losl at the local level. recovcr from, I do bel ieve that taken in a Control of a Party's soul is determined there, longer view, it may actually prove to be the too. While national visibility and pressure is 16 TIle RIPON FORUM important in policy debmes, only individual to its original radical agcnda. Thcy know that dclcgates 10 the Republican National Conven thcy di lutc thci r messagc at t hci r organ i7-<1 ti on . s tion in 1996 wil l beabletocastvotcstoehange own peril. Their narrow-mi ndedness is, in the platform to eliminate the radical anti part, what makes them effcctive. choice language. Only individua ll y elceled Republican women have learned this les officials, one by one. vote by vote, will be able son perhaps above all others. As a result, we to stop theswccping incursion of government arc targeting our efTorls only at ou r two gemls: into privme. medical decisions. electing more pro-choice Republicans to or We have at last learned a h,lrd lesson from fice at aUlc\·clsand changing the Republican our opponents in the radical ri ght wingorthe Party Platform so it aceurately rencets the P NOI·ember /993 17 Politics T he Hcriwgc Foundation, (hal bastion of Washington control orthcir GOP by an individual who on Robertson's conservatism that houses !.he minds ofpol icy people such as television show,the 700 Club, implies that they are Satan Robert Bork, Stuart Butlcrand John Robson, has decided to w{)("Shippers? Will they be able to ignore the fael thai one bmnch oul. Its magazine, Policy Review, where Ihoughtful of !.he top leaders of the Christian Coalition is a devout ideas and issues arc reviewed and analyzed, has now supporter of former Klu Klux Klan ...... zard and Louisianll. abandoned its adherence to whal is policy and has instead gubernatorial nominee, David Duke? Or will they finally nlovt."onen their perceived intol M\'e studied the migrntion of Fundamentalists to the Re erant social agenda, Ule organization may sec itself publican Party in 1980 acknowledge the fact that abortion marginal ized by its o\.\n unwavering pro-life activists. was used by secularconservati\'esasa wlifying tool to un ite Another more insidious outconle may, howe\'er. be in the various sects wiUI substantial diversity in Uleir oUler store for Ule Party of Lincoln. Recd's new agenda may religious beliefs. Is it then time for the church-going indC\.-..d be the ultimate "Trojan Horse," using "openl y segment ofUle Republican electorate to be absorbed into the stealth" candidntes to grasp control of the local party mainstrc.:lm ofthc GOP? Certainly they have no monopoly stOlctures 8S Uley ]\3\'c already done in a dozen states, and on the moral support of brood issues like the family, Then eventually penetrate the walls of the Republican National isn' t time for people like Ralph Reed to stop writing about Committee. With a budget estimated at S 13 million dollars, " Casting a Wider Net," and start acting on il? Othernisc, the Christian Coalition barely lags behind the RNC by a Republicans must face Ule rc.:ll possibility of single-issue mere mill ion dollaTS, giving it more than ample opportunity extinction, brought on by careless "poli cy" people who do to strike anytime, not practice what they preach. R But what of the morc moderate, culturally divCfSC , majority ofRcpublicans, who believe in Ule basic tenets or less govcrnment and individual rights and entusiastically Caty Sibbie is a IIIcmber oJ Ihe Ripon Socicly's includes the Republican party of African Americans, His Naliollal Execulivc Committee. panics, Hindus and Jews. Will they find comfort in the 18 The RIPON FORUM RNC Delegate Process Is Unfair to Blacks Continued from puge 5 Bloc voting was prohibitcdat party con election. Since the franchise was un ventions and the dignity of the indi o constitutionally denied in the South, vidual Congressional delegate was time this reduced southern representation in and again affinned. 1916 by a third, cutting the proportion of In his article entitled The Republi black delegates in half. can Party 1854·/876, author David A compromise by regulars and Donald Herbert quotes a Kansas del progressives led to the 1924 rules " Re-emphasisingthe egate in 1876 committed to such early changes. GOP ideals who said, "The great prin ciples of the Republican organizations THE: LAST 70 YEARS rightful role ofth e demand that each man shall have his vote himself and nO I be bound up by some party or power that is behind him. The 1920s was a time of nativism congressional Weare not hereto be handled like mere when ethnic urban and suburban areas machines," were ceded to the Democratic Party and districts by the Afterthe Reconstruction period and when majority solutions to racial and the re-emergence of the legalistic dis ethnic concerns resulted in either out tinction between the right ofthe African right exclusion (in the case of Asian Republican party will American to freedom versus the right of immigrants) or, with regard to race, the African American to equality. with overt segregation and disenfranchise its accompanying chilling effect on rd ment. be a practical and cial justice, me "Negro question" be The movement to weaken the con gan to enter political discussion with gressional district delegates culmi nated tangible subsequent disenfranchisement and seg with the rules changes proposed in 192 1 regation of me races. Among Republi for the 1924 Convention. The new rules cans, historic principles of civil rights added two additional delegates in the at demonstration that were slowly being replaced with a dif large category for each at-large repre ferent standard couched in economic sentative in Congress, two additional terms which had the effect ofdimi nish delegates-at-large from each state cast the GOP is serious ing the party's moral character and ing its electoral vote ora majority thereof focusing its dialogue along less noble for the Re publican nominee for Presi about incl uding, not principles. dent in the last preceding Presidential Ironically, it was the progressives, election, and a further proposal to pro appalled at the control by President Taft vide a minimum threshold vote of2500 excluding,Afiican in 1912 of the southern, mostl y black, votes in ordertoeam even one congres GOP de legates that led the movement to sional delegate and an increase to 10,000 change the party rules from those of votes from 7500 vOles for a second Americans from its neutral guardianship of noble principle congressional delegate. to complicity with exclusion. The at-large "bonus" delegates ranks." As scholar J. Lee Auspitzreveals in aided the smaller states to the detriment his article Party Rilles, the first change ofthe larger states. Thecrudeminimum occurred in 1916 when it was determined delegate requirements were to structur that the second congressional delegate aUy shift the party in a new direction, would now have to be earned by the concentrating on southern white voters district casting a minimum of 7500 and western progressives at the expense votes for the Republican nominee for of black and ethnic Republicans in the Congress or President in the previous South and urban America. November 1993 19 This was the beginning of the Tinkham insisted that the "indefen ment in you .... Coming into your hearts "southern strategy" which would seek sible and flagrant nullification of these and coming into your homes are people econom ic all ies among white Southern amendments" had resulted in "not on ly who stand against your government. ers at the expense of the GOP's historic notorious and scandalous disenfran The red flag ofanarchy is in the heavens commitment to civil rights. chisement of the Negro voter, but in an where the Slars and Stripes ought to be, Despite black disenfranchisement, illegal proportion of southem members and men are preaching a strange doc Jim Crow legislation, overt discrimina in the House and an unconstitutional trine of the street comer, and the foun tion, not to mention lynchings. poll dishonest and illegitimate organization dations of your government are being taxes, educational requirements and the ofthe govemment itself." Inan address assaulted by strangers across the sea .... 1 vi rtual exclusion ofbla ck America from to the RNC, he urged the committee to belong to a race that never sold a secret. political life, these Republicansempha respond to the low southern GOP vote I belong to a rdce that never practiced sized a party founded on its economic by enforcing the Constitution and not treason. I belong to a race that never astuteness and soli citation ofwhite south penalizi ng the victims ofdisenfranchise sold a map to the enemy. I belong to a ern voters to the exclusion of ethnic ment. race that never shot a president. .. .Just urban and suburban America. Despitethese protestations, theGOP look at Massachusens . ... Thi rty years Black and other concerned del delegatc structure was radicall y com ago Massachusetts was a rock-ribbed egates, given liule warning of what promised by the new rule changes. White Republ icanstate. Today Massachusetts changes were to be proposed at the 1921 southern participation in a party struc is not a rock-ribbed Re publican state RNC meeting, objected to the discrimi tured around economic prowess was to and is almost a Democrdtic state. Who natory efTectofthe more obvious mini be the new party goal. The indi vidual made it Democratic? Strangers and mum voting requirements, which delegate was no longer to be viewed as foreigners from abroad made it Demo amounted to Republican complicity in the revered embodiment of the cratic." denial of the vote. JefTersonian ideal. After much debate the first con Colonel Remmel of Arkansas ob At the very time that Republicans gressional delegate was restored as a jected to thc whole proposal saying. were de-emphasizi ng the l-I ouseofRep matterofright, but the 10,000 vote mini "The fact is we are being resentatives as the basis of represent a mum remained for the second congres disenfranchised ... and nobody knows it tion, they were losi ng 1·louse seats. As sional delegate along with the at-large better than anyone of you gentlemen Malcol m Moos points out in his book "bonuses." si tting here." Henry Lincoln Johnson, The Republicans, GOP House seats in Thus, in 1924, a pattern of adding a black RNC member from Georgia 1920 fell from 300 to 221 as a result of additional "bonus" delegates-at-large added, "Are you going to deny repre the country's "first agri cultural depres was developed which. over time, has sentation to an electorate that is yours by sion ofthe century," a forerunner oft he had the efTect of reducing the represen preference and really by inheritance as Great Depression. By replacing civil tation of the ethnic urban and suburban is the case with me? ... Why will you be rights with economic issues, the GOP areas of the nation. silent as the mummies of Egypt on the tied ils fo rtunes 10 the whims of the Rule No. 31, entitled Membership disenfranchising laws that keep your marketplace rather than to the bedrock in Conventions, lists these "at-large" friends and party comrades from the of party principle. bonus delegates which favor the smaller polls?" In words that many Republi As Teapot Dome and other scan states: Four and one-half at-large del cans can apply to the present, he contin dals broke, Coolidge began to worry egates for each state I regardless ofsize 1 ued, "This proposition will not do. It about the black vote for the next presi having cast its electoral votes, or major leaves too many Republicans with a bad dential race. Thus the cruder elements ity thereof, for the Republican nominee taste in their mouths. It is not fair to go of the 192 1 delegation changes were for President [the 1924 bonus], and an into impending political warfare with so reconsidered, illegally, in 1923. Thetra.n additional at-large delegate for each many ardent Republicans distressed scripts of that meeting disclose the fac l Republican U.S. Senator. Governor, and down deep in their hearts at the acts of that the exclusion of ethnic groups by a majority of Republican members in the Republican organization. It is nol meansof bonus delegates was known to the state legislalUre. It is significant that good judgemcnt to go into the coming RNC members. the only victory not given a "bonus" is battle with so many of your privates One black member who comments forwinningacongressionalseat. Rather, fee ling that they have been fundamen that "race is not the issue" structures a bonus is given fo r a Republican ma tally wronged." his remarks along lines of ethnic preju jority of Representatives from a state's George Holden Tinkham, a Con dice common al the time: "You expect delegation to the U.S. House. For ex gressman from Boston. foughl hard for me to be loyal to you, and I will be loyal ample, Wyoming, with only one con the enforcement of the Constitution's to you ... now let me ask you to be loyal to gressional district needed to be fill ed by Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. me .... 1 am content to trust my govern- a RepUblican, would be given a bonus 20 The RIPON FORUM at-largedelcgateWldertherules,whcrcas MATTER OF FA IRNESS carry the Republican banner into the California would not be entitled 10 the elcclionarcna. Candidates need a party delegate unless 27 of its currently 52 The forgotten urban and suburban apparatus which brings voters together, Representatives were elected Rcpubli- areas of the country and the underlyi ng rather than turning voters otT. cans. qucstionofcivil rights is nola matter or Without substantive changes to The fact that these bonuses hurt the ideology but of fairness. Republican Rules 19.24 and 31, the current "lnclu- urban and suburban stales was outl ined office holders from as diverse idcologi- sion" campaign will appear as nothing in a stud y on the 1984 convention by the cal backgrounds as Robert Taft, Tho- more than hollow rhetoric. Minority public policy branch of the Ripon Soci- mas E. Dewey, Dwight D. Eisenhower leaders cannot hope to convince their ety. the Ripon Educational Fund. The and Ronald Reagan. have consistently constituents that GOP participation is study found that the states ofCalifornia, denounced any system which docs not meaningful if they arc pre-defined as Texas, Florida. Massachusetts, New adequately account rorlhe nation's mi- non-voting"auxiliaries,"characterized York, New Jer- ______, as hyphenated sey, Pennsylva- li Republicans, nia, West Vi r- andskewedout ginia, Ohio, In- Colonel Remme l of Arkansas: "/ want to say that orrightfulrep- diana, Illinois, resentation by Mississipp i, you are... doing an injustice to all ofthe p eople ofth e an at-la rge Michigan, Wis- south, all the m e mbe rs ofo ur party . .. / s imply want "bonus" del- consinandMin- egatebias. Po- nesota were in- 10 e nte r a protest here against this proposition litical parties cluded in the because it is unfair. are disenfranchised by our must be ra- most under rep- We cially and eth- resented cat- Dem ocratic opponents and here we are be ing disen- nically bli nd. egory. The GOP can- Another franchised in the house ofour friends .. is this great not afford an- study done by the party of Lincoln going to add its own mandate of other conven- Freedom Repub- tion that is licans, a multi- disenfranchisement to that of the Denl0crats in our more a liability racialorganiza- country? -' am s tanding here asking for the righlto than an asset. tion committed Voters be- ta the founding be a R epublican in the southern states. .. " lieve some- principles ofthe thing is wrong Rep ubi i can [!",..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..,..~ with both ma- Party. revealed Jor political that the current rules create the follow- no rities. Former Congressman Mickey parties. Re-cmphasizing the rightful ingdisparities: the 17 most over repre- EdwardsofOklahomarccentlyobserved, role or the congressional districlsbythe sented states at the GOP convention "the Republican Party is in a struggle Republican party will bea practical and constitutedjust69 votes in theelector'dl for its soul. The issue is nOI one of langible demonstration that the GOP is college while the 17 mosl under repre- politicalphilosophy,butofpoliticalpar- serious about including, not excluding, sented slates at the GOP convention ticipation." Americans from its ranks. constituted 32 1 electoral college votes. One would hope that the RNC, It is essential thatthe pany'soffice Four-fifthsofall l-l ispanics areconcen- already criticized for its own lack of holders and seekers and all those mem- Ir'ated in the four slates of Texas, Cali- represemalion by population (Guam, bers who care about its future speak out fomia. New York and Florida and arc for example. has the same RN C vote as agai nst these archaic rules. Wemust not the most under rep resented at the Re- California)andforitsnon-voting"aux- remain "silent as the mummies of publican convention. Blackslivingout- iliaries," which in Rule 24 provides for Egypt," but rather insist that the GOP side of the South are almost entirely a black-republican, Hispanic-republi- return to the rules ofthe Party of Lincoln found in under represenled states. Two- can, "heritage"-republican of Asian, and the poli tics of participation. R Ihirds of the nations Roman Catholics southern and eastern Europeandescent, arc concentrated in nine states and four- and a Jewish-republican. would repudi- Arthur George is National Secretary fifths of all Jewish voters are concen- ale the effect of these archaic delegate ofth e Ripon Society and a member of trated in seven states all of which fall in rules and RNC auxiliaries. They should the Ripon Society's National the under represented category. instead affirm the posi tion or all who Execl/tive Commil/ee. NQI'ember 1991 21 Book Review Days of an Ace Days of Grace Review by Andrew McLeod A Memoir by Arthur Ashe with Arnold Rampersad W hen lcns of thousands of Americans g.lthcred on the Wi mbledon, and the Australian Open; and assisting in the national mall in August 10 commemorate the 1963 march on cfC.l1ioll and le1.dership of the players' union. Washington, there was a widely reported call for new leader· The book focuses primariiyon the years following the 1979 ship in the civil rights movement. hcartallack that ended Ashe's playing career during which he Sadly, absent from this annivcrs..1ry and opportunity for began to realize his physicalfragility(a period that began with rcneclion on the state of black America, was one unique and Ashescrvingascaplain,orcoach, orthe U.S. Davis Cup team, resonant voicc. It was that of Arthur Ashe, the tennis great to which he devotes significant attention.} In 19&3, he who succumbed to AIDS in February. underwent his second heart bypass operation and contracted Fortunately, Ashe is not easil y silenced. DaysofGrace, his the AIDS vi rus through a blood transfusion (one of 13,000 vcry personal memoir composed , ______---, Americans torcccivcHlV-contami· in the months before he died, nated blood beforc methods to de· documents the renections of a Ashe's account of his battle teet it were developed in 1985.) serious man with strong opin· Five years later, while a palient for ions. Through his success on the against AIDS is gripping and brain surgery, it was discovered tennis courl, he gained the pres· that he had AIDS. Then under the lige and position he later needed threat of disclosure by USA Today as an advocate fo r social change courageous. At times it is in April of '92, Ashe reluctantly at home and abrO 22 llle RIPON FORUM " Ashe ... does not place blame nor promote the hackneyed notion of victim ization among blacks, but instead stresses personal and community responsibility and accountability. " He describes a decline in the Illoral authority of black America n culture dating back fony years. (In addition to two previous autobiographical works, Ashe has authored a three volume history of black athletes through World War II.) This disturbing trend in Ihe black community is characteri zed by a decreased influence of fam ily. education, rel igion and moral ity, and the "sense ofsupcriority to those who would deny us OUf ri ghts because of Ihe color of our skin." Further, Ashe argues, this diminution of moral foundation is delectable in prevailing black attitudes opposing more stringent academic requirements for college athletes, f;'\,oril1g affinnativc action against New York's "popularand effective" Bill Grccn. Ashe (" an insult to the people it is intended to help,' ') advancing the was an active participant in the 1984 presidential campaign of notion of 'cultural bias' ("the phrase of choice for nationa lis· Jesse Jackson (though in the book he harshly judges some of tic blacks when their philosophy collides with the basic Jackson's recent actions.) And having supported George Bush demands I')f education. ") and tolerating the " increasingly in 1988. Ashe became a strong Clinton supporter last yc.'1r. dominant African American adolescent ethosofelltitlcment.'· No, Arthur Ashe's is a steady, moderate, and constructive Ashe challenges those who ostensibly \e November 1993 21 Policy Picking Winners and Losers: How the Administration May Decide to Rank Companies by Todd Malan P iCking winners and losers" is a Labor Secretary Robert Rcichand Coun guay Round. The government is ill common indictment orindustrial policy, cil afEconomic Advisors Chair. LaunI advised 10 rank compnnics or favor one As reported in Ihe New Yo rk T imes in Tyson in which both adhere to different class of company over another in order J II nc, some senior offici .. Is orthe CI i ilIon ph ilosophies, but agree that cOIllJ} 24 The RIPON FORUM MYTH #2 FOREIGN FIRMS OON'T PROVIOE BENEFITS TO NAFTA: THE U.S. Foreign based companies investing in the United Stmes have a positive imp.1cI o n our ecollomy. In 1990,4.7 million It's more than Americans worked for forcign-owncdcompanics, accounting for 5.2 percent ortota] U.S. employment. This represents an increase of7 percent over 1989 and comp.:1rcs favorably to the 1 percent growth rate fo r a ll U.S. business in the same period. just a suck:ing U.S. affi liatcsofrorcignowncd firms promolc cmploymcot in the high wage, high skill manufacturing sector. For example • in 1990, 39.9 percent of foreign affiliate's employment in nOIse America was in manufacturing, accounting for 11 percent of total U.S. manufacturing employment, according 10 the Bu reau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, foreig n affitimcs in the U.S. spent heavily on rcsc..1rch and dcvelopmcnt and, in 1987. by Rep. Fred Grandy contributcd 7.6 percent of g ross output to Rand D. Proponcnts of ra nking also ignore thc reaction that such a T ime is quickly nlllning out on our best chance for rcal policy may provoke among our trading partners. The idea of cconomiestimulus, which h,IS now prcsented itselfin thc form ranking corporations will be copied by olhcr nations, and will of the North Amcrican Free Trade Agreemcnt. h;lTIn ou r C(:o nomie interests abro.1d. Ironically, this policy With congressional votes about two months away, NAFfA undermines the United StaICS'S long held advocacy of the prob.:1bly lacks the majority of votes needed to pass in the " nationaltrcatment" principle. rooted in Ihe desire to ensure House. Support is fading in both the Scnatcand the Houscand that American owned companies do not face discrimination NAFfA 's opponcnts have taken full advantage o r this oppor abro.1d. Around the world, the U.S. has traditionally sought tunity. They havescized this momentum tospcw misinforma equal treat ment for U.S. business and the removal of local tion and scare off potential supporters. content and performance requirements. Whydo we now want While House leadership is the game ri ght now. If President to adopt these predominantly third world policies? Clinton cares as much aboul NAFT A as he did about his tax The Statcs arc the world's largcst im'estor abro.1d. holder p..1ckage, the trc..1 ty wi ll p..1.ss. Although the pact began as of the largcst stock of inbound foreign invcstment, and the George Bush'sagrccment, it isclc..1rly now Bill Clinton'sand world's largcst exporter. The U.S. has an enormous interest Mickey Kantor's. in non-discriminatoI)' trade and open investment policics that President Ciinlon's speech at his September NAFfA kiek maximize corporate freedom and allow companies to react ofTwas masterful. He has to ma intain th is momentum and take quickly to the demands of global competition. International advantage of his role. He must use lhe bully pulpit to make his trade and investment is not a zero-sum game. The Adminis case to the American people while utilizing the talents of the tration should consider the implication of a corporate ranking U.S. Trade Reprcscnl3tive, the SecretaI)' of Commerce and orbcnefits-Icst policy and rccogni7-c its faults and potential for even the SecretaI)' of State. damage. Simply put, a llthrcc classes ofcompanies benefit the But securing the necessary support will be tricky. The U.S .. The Administration would be better advised to reaffirm president is counting on more votes from Republicans than the U.S.'s commitmcnl lO " national lrealment" and concen from Democrats, becausc it has been the RepUblicans who trate on eliminating barriers to Amcrican trade a nd invest have been leading the eh.1.rge. While it's heartening tojoin Mr. ment abro.1d. R Clinton in a bipartis.1n cnls.1de, it would be nice ifhe brought more of his troops to thc battlcfield. Todd M. Alalan was formally a member oj the The consequences ofa NAFTA defeal a rc potentially grave. Congressional Affairs sraff of rhe United Stares Trade Without the paSS;:Ige of this tr e~uy, President Salina's govern Representative under Ambassador Carla IJif/s. Malall is men~ will probably topple in December's election, pushing Mcxlco back toward a command economy. Our stance will currently ll'lannger ofGovern me lit Relationsfor the European-American Chamber ofCo mmerce in a lso inOuence free traders' rortunes in Canada's October elections. Washington, o. c. The views expressed are his own. NAFf A. sig ned by lhe leaders of the Un ited States Canada and Mexico in December 1992, would open Canadia~ 25 Grandy says Actually, the Mexican minimum wage is several times that amount, including a 6 1.8 percent of the package paid in mandated benefits, The "giant sucking sound" produced by NAFfA will be exports going to Mexico, creating American "yes" to NAFTA jobs in the wake, Continued from previous page But some U.S. industries will lose jobs under NAFT A, such as apparel in the East. But many of those jobs have alre.1dy and Mexican doors wider to our goods and services. NAFf A moved to low·labor markets in Southeast Asia. NAFT A would tears down Mexican tariffs, which arc two and one-half times draw some of those fi rms, mainly to Mexico, to source their higher than our own. Despite these limitations, Mexico is inventory in the Uni ted States. That produces jobs in this already the fastest growing markct for U.S. agricultural ex country. Obviously, a firm in Taiwan will not buy fabric in ports. Ohio. For example in my home slate of Iowa, and in the Uni ted On the intcmational scene, if we create a larger market for States overall, Mexico is alre.1dy the fastest growing market American goods and scn'ices and we enfranchise Mexico, the fo r high value agriculture, such as red meat, dairy products and deal will pressure Europe and Japan to open their markets. For soybean meal. If Mexico isjust exploiting low wage labor, as example, NAFTA's North American content requirements some NAFTA critics charge, who's eating all the steak down will force Japanese auto makers to buy North American parts, there? instead of p<1tronizing only Japanese cartcls. Needless to say, NAFrA also ratcsas the strongest environmental treaty ever our far east and European competitors are justifiably wo rried signed, ca lling for a tTi-lateral enforcement body with the that closer tics between the United SLa tes and Mexico wi ll power 10 levy fi nes up to $20 mill ion. Boosting Mexico's impede their abi lity to dump products in our ma rkets. economy will also allow Mexico to route revenues toward If we fail to pass this treaty, our cred itabi lity is shot. If we environmental problems and economic development, thereby can't work with our neighboring countries who ca n we work promoting improved environmental industry standards and with and who will work with us? Mexico may have to form a providingjobopportull ities. As for immigration, as President p.1. rtnership with another nation and as Mexico goes, so goes Salinas has said, either Mexico gets jobs or America gets most ofSoulh and Central America. If we ca nnot passa tariff Mexicans. agreement between three adjacent countries as ours, how can Meanwhile, free trade opponents have convinced many we participate in a world organized treaty like the General Americans that NAFT A will cost U.S. jobs, when just the Agrcemellt on Tariffs and Trade? opposite is true. U.S. exports to Mexico have tripled since The President of Mexico put it quite welL " 1 don't want to 1987, creating 40,000 new jobs. be the best nation in the Third World," he said. " I want 10 be Despite thi s evidence, Ross Perot conti nues to chant his a rising nation in the Fi rst World. ,. It would bea terrible irony mantra thill the Mexican minimum wage is 58 cents an hour, ifbccause wecouldn't gel our pol itica l act together, there was and that NAFTA witlproduce a "giant sucking sound "ofjobs a North American trading bloc that didn't include the Unites going sout h of the border. States. R Congressman Fred Grandy OJ: COURSE represents the 5th district ofIowa . THERE'S NO PULSE. THAT'S MY WAl-LET . Write to us with your co mments. The Ripon Forum 227 Massachusetts Ave, NE , Ste. 201 Washington, D.C. 20002 26 TIle RIPON FORUM In Memoriam: Congressman Paul B. Henry With deep sadness, The Ripon Society mourns the passing ofCongressmnn Paul B. Henry of Grand Rapids Michigan. A Ripon Congressional Advisory board member, Paul Henry was a moderate Republican who upheld the ideals of limited government, civil rights and environment al conservation, With hi s fat her who founded Christianity Today with Billy Graham, Congressman Henry wrote numerous articles about the relationship between religious val ues and politics and worked hard to employ those principles throughout his career. Representative Henry. who received his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill inois and hi s M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University in North Carolina, was touted as a leader in Michigan polit ics and ad mired for his commitment to thoughtful policy regardless of it s political affiliat ion. Before his legislative career, Paul Henry was a professor at Calvin Coll ege in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a Peace Corps volunteer from 1963 to 1965. Congressman Henry will long be remembered by the Ripon Society fo r his scholarly approach, great sense of humor, and love oflife . Our prayers go out to his family. Notice The Ripon Society would like everyone who now receives the Forum to keep getting it. We would also like to send the FDrum to any new people who would like it. But due to financial constraints, the Society cannot provide the magazine to those of you who now receive it for free. Therefore, if you receive the Forum and would like to keep receiving it, please send your subscription dues of $18 a year. Because we are in the process of updating our computer systems, we would also apprec iate knowing of any new people who would like to receive the Forum, So drop us a line. We want to hear from you. The Editors NO llember J993 27 Policy Urban Deceit Subsidies and taxes get you nowhere, fast. by Brian H. Hook T he 1992 election revealed an electorate $2.5 trillion on the War on Poverty and uro..1n di ssatisfi ed with President Bli sh and the fed· aid, ' ! Moore 5..'lid. " Economist Walter Wil eral government's general inattention to do liams has calculated that that is enough money mestic affairs. OCtile host of domestic issues, to purchase all the assets of the Forlune 500 few arc more signifi cant than the spiraling compa nies plus a ll of the farmland in the decl ine of urban Americ.1. United States." " Today, the Last year's L.A. riots brought the urb.111 T heori ginal Marshall Plan was intended to economic blight, affiicting most of our large provide a massive infusion of federal aid to federal cities. to the forefro nt of public attention. war torn European countries on the condition While the country's economy appears to be thallhey take immediate steps to crea le stable governrnent has improving, pockets of A merica arc islands of marketcconomics. Today, the federal govern hopelessness which we ignore at our peril. ment has a nationa l debt of $4. 1 tri ll ion, a national debt of An abundance of statistics documents the leaving us without the resources to fund a 26th sombcrcondition ofourcitics. Since 1965, the Urban Marshall Pla n. There arc rc.1sons to $4 .1 trillion , U.S. population hasrisenby60 million and 15 doubt such aid would help. of our largest cities have losl nearly fou r The 5..1lient difference between the ten high leaving us million people. The Chicago arc.'l has lost est-gro\\1h and len lowcst-growth cities in the 10,000 manufacturing jobs annually for the country is fi scal policy. The low-grO\\1hcitics without the past! 5 yea rs. St. Loui s has lost more than two over the last 25 yea rs have displayed consis· ofe\'eryfivejobs it had in 1965. Cleveland had tent pauernsof higherpercapita spending and resou rc es to fu nd Il carly one million residents in 1950. Today, taxcs than the high growth cities. it is ha!fthat number. For exarnplc, rcecnt studies indicate that in a 26th Urban While the problem appears entrenched, 1990 a typical family offour living in one of think tanks like the Eisenhower Commission lhe shrinking cities paid $ 1,000 per ycar more Marshall Pl an. and the CaIO Institute have reached sharply in taxes thallthey would have li ving in one of different conclusions on how to solve il. the high-grO\\1h cities probably due to thc fact There are For exmnple, the Eisenhower Commission bureaucracics in shrinking cities arc twice as concluded that the fa ilure of our cities can be largeas thoscofgrowth cit ies. On average, the reason s to doubt tied to the " federal disinvestment of the grO \\1 h ci ties had 99city cmployecs per 10,000 1980s." As a remedy to urban ills, the com residents; the low growth citics had 235. For such aid would mission prescribes a ten yc.1r invcstment of every $ 1.00 of per c.'lpita expend iturcs in the $300 billion for youth programs as well as highesl-grO\\1h cities, the shrinking cities help ." additional funding 10 " reconstruct" Ameri spend $ 1.7 1. Not surprisingly, low-growth can ci ties fo r housing and infrastructure. cities arc much morc likely to impose a local Echoing the call for action, the U.S. Con income tax than arc high·grO\\1h cities. fe rence of Mayors is asking fo r $35 bi llion in More si mply, statistics show ci ti es and new federal fu nds, for what they call a " Mar states cannot tax their way to prosperity. To shall Plan for the cities." underl ine the poi nt, the New York City According to Stephen Moore of the Cato Comptroller's office issued a study concJud· Institute, the federal governme nt has already iug that each $ 100 mill ion increase in taxcs funded the equivalent of some 25 Marsha ll leads to a loss of 10,800 jobs. Undisciplined plans to hclp our cities. " Since 1965 the spending coupled with high taxes is nOljust a federal government has spent an estimated consequence of urban decline, it is a causc. 28 llie RIPON FORUM Clearly, a new approach to the tax and spend thcoryofcconomicdcvc]opment is needed. At the Federal level. the challenge for legislators is to recognize that when the powers of government arc specific and limited -- or as James Madison put it, "few and defined" • -Iaxes remain low. I n so doing, a framework is provided for governors and mayors 10 make their own decisions and to allow businesses the freedomburdensome to grow federal absc rmegulationsofunrc.1sonable. , l___ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ __ _ At the local and state 1C\.'cl. it is neees sm), to rc-cvaluntc how local govern ments can enormously imponant questions. best serye the public. Outside of providing fo r For too long. the sincerity and compassion essential services, privatization should be the of the federa l governmell t hasbccn measured " Privatization is g0.11. by the size of its aid packages to its city and Examples of successful joint private/public state bu reaucracies. There is, however. a not a panacea to opcnllions aTC plentifu l. In 1990, Chicago nagging feeli ng of doub t whether the money Mayor Richnrd M. Daley privatized parki ng we arc paying in taxes is serving its alleged urban decline, ticket collections and saved taxpayers $ 12 mi l purposes. Where arc the Grc.11 Societies lion. The cit y of Phoenix has saved S16.2 promised to us almost thirty years ago? To but it is a million by making its sanitation depanment day, the Great Society is neit her great nor a bid fo r trash collect ion services alongside the society - - namely, a true society thm em re asonable first independents. Studies show thnt costs to Ihe braces civic and personal responsibility, and taxp:lyer arc reduced 20 to 50 percent by com respect for legitimate authority. step consistent petitively contracting out municipal services 10 The solutions to reversing urban decline the private sector. do not come c.1sily. However, so much of with one of the Consider the philosophy of the Mayor of what ails our ci ties - drug usc, crime, broken Indianapolis, Stephen Goldsmith, who isgain families. welfare abusc. to name just a few first prin ciples of ing a national reputation for having the most is tied directly to an absence of economic ambitious privatization program of any large opportunity. The single worst thing that a democracy cit yin the United States. " The old idea that just government call do for its citizenry is con because we in government nrc responsible for struct bu rgeoning bureaucracies that create which is that delivering a given public service means we an unfriendly environment fo r businesses actually have to perform that service ourselves through draconian tax structures. government is outdated. M Goldsmith said. ~ It makes no Privati7..3tion is not a panacea to urban sensc. Government as the provider of services decline, but it is a reasonable first step con should not do and government as the unit responsible for sistent wi th one of the first principles of eausi ng services \0 be provided are Iwo separate democracy which is that government should anything which things. " not do anything which individuals can more Driving this change is a private sector advi efficiently do them.sclves. The mayors who individuals can sory commission created by Goldsmith Ihat is recently marched on Washington to scav examining everything the city docs and asking enge bill ions Illore from the fede ral trough more efficiently two questions. First. should govern ment even would do well 10 refl ect on the fact that no be involved in providing the service? Ifno, the govcrnment in the historyofcivilizalion has do themselves. " com mi ssion recommends that the cily get out. ever created susL1illOO, real, economic grO\11 h. If the answer is yes. a second question: Howc.1n Theanswer is less government spending. 1101 the service be improved through competition morc. R from the private sector? In his first 18 months Brian Hook is a graduate sllident in the in officc. Goldsmith has saved the city over $ 10 philosophy department al Bostoll million by asking these IWO fundamental but UniverSity. NOI'ember J993 29 The Lighter Side The. M.e.ss in oomalia )0 TIle RIPON FORUM ~l'=1 =W~A~S H~I N~G~T~ O ~N=N~O ===T ;;E;;S ~&~Q~U:;;O~T ~E ;;S d11~ Facts & '94, Georgia RCI) ' Newt Gingrich strength a nd unity. T he Forum exists to launched his campaign early and de excil NOI'Clllbcr 1993 31 In the Mainstream of American Thought ... 1, today's world, everyone has an opinion. Be it the right win g Republicans or the left-wi ng Democrats, the voices that are heard seem to come loudest from the fringes of American political thought. Not anymore. The Ripon Forum seeks to go beyond unrealistic idealogies and represents a voice fo r those in the main stream of America. Afterall , it's people like you who elect our leaders and are affected by public poli cies. Whether it's discussion on what's reall y wrong with the federal govenunent or a discussion on the realiglUnent of our political system, The Forum has it all. ,------, : DYES! Send me The Ripon Forum for the coming year for only $1 B! : I (students. people in Ihe military scn'ice and Peace Corp volunteers pay only $9) I I Name: I : Address: : I I I City: State: ZIP: I I I I You may FAX your subscription card to (202) 547·6560. I I Or mail it to The Ripon Forum, 227 Massachusetts Ave., NE. Suite 201 I L ____ Washi.ngton....!2.C. 20002:- ______J