,.JUE-­ JE roe.. PECc/KJ)5 The Ripon FOrnll} Contents

ED ITORIAL COVER STORIES The Ban Plays On ...... 4 Bungle in the Jungle ...... 6 Presidellt Bill Clinton has mi,fSed Ihe opportlmify ball 01' thefti'll bouna. Brookings/nsritute Bill Frenzel tells wily. COMMENT A Modest ProposaL ...... 5 ... and in the Budget...... 8 Joim O. Suiter of the World Federalist Association asb if Hen'tage Foundalion's 10/111 Robson separates Bill Q stronger U.N. would give peace OIId Do.mia Q chance. Ciinto/"s campaign rlreton'c versus his Administration 's reality.

JUSTICE SOCI ETY The Supreme Court ...... 19 Roundabout Reform ...... 10

Yale La.... School's Kris Kobacll asks why j Ill/iCe! 0"/1', Faye Ant/enOlI examines rondida/e ClilllOll's welfare acting more like JUSlices and less like politicians. rtform and 'K'ork-fore programs anti offen Prf!sitlefll Clintoo some timely suggestions. POLITICS Death of a PACman ...... 12 God and Country...... 24 Commoll Calise Chair Ne(1 Cabot teU, haw we can stop Fronk Wade analyzes why Imtll alld \'allies are belfer special illterest groups/rom buying YOllr congressional comillg/rom ",ithi" m /her than from politiclI/ groups. representative's vote.

PROFILES AND PROSPECTIVES HUMOR A Lone Star...... 14 White House Follies ...... 30 Harry Plril/ips soys Clinton's PC needs are preventing Iris They.J(ly Texas is almost like a separate coufltry. It must ability 10 appoint good people to top positions. be. In what other state would a consen'Otive. Hispanic. GOP candidate/or congress slrare space 011 a bumper sticker witlr Bill ClintOlI. Tire Forum lakes)'OlI 10 Rep. Henry Bonilla's office 10 lell YOII wiry. Washington N & Q ...... 31 Bill and Hilla ry. AI alld Tipper. DOIllla Sim/a/a; IJIl.,IQ is lip on all tlreir latest antics. HEALTH CARE Made in Japan ...... 28 The Lighter Side ...... 27 Scot! Kllporand Aki Yoslrikawa a/Stanford's Asia Pacific Researclr Center e:cpalill how tire Japanese prol,/de IlIIiver.J(l/ IIeallll care ccwerage.

2 The RlPON FORUM ----11227 Massachusetts AvenueJ--1 - GOP Summittime

Summer is the lime for con\'entions and expected 800 delegates and an impressive list Coalition (or Choice. the GOP p!"O\'cd to be no exception as four of of allendees. Speakers included Republican Snoqualmie Pass, Washington was the the larger Rcpubl iean organiUltionsconvcnoo hcavywcighlssuch as MC Chainnln Haley scene for the 12th An nual ClI5cade Confer­ to discuss the future oflhe Party. Even more Barbour, CongreSimen Bob Doman (CA) ence, sponsored by the Mainstream Repub­ exciting was that many oflhc events hinted a and Newt Gingrich (GA), Senators Trent licans of Washington which drcwover 100 morc mainstream lone man in previous years. Lou (MS), Phil Gnmm (TX), Bob Dole pcopleand ran from May 21 - 23. Attendees The Young Republicans elected a moderate (KS), and Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX). lit the conference included party activists, as its new chair, the Coll ege Republicans Speakers lambasted Clinton's plann<.'Ripon Society , the Republican Mainstream Conference please contacl Jean Hayes at held July 15-18, as the largl.!st ever with an Committee, and the National Republican Ripon National at (202) 546-1292. The RIPON Compiled by Chris Dreibelbis I F 0 R U M I THE RIPON FORUM (ISN 0035. 5526) is published bi.monthly in 1993 by The Ripon Society. ASSOCIAte EDITOR Contents arc copyrighted 1993 by the Ripon Society, Inc., 227 MaSS8ch1L~tts A\'C. , N.E., Suite 201, Mimi Carter Washington, D.C. 20002. CC».TRIBl11"!NG EDrTOP.S Michael Dubke In the Ripon Forum, the publishers hupc to provide a forum for fresh ideas, and a spirit of ereati"e Andy Bauer criticism and inno\'3.lion in public policy. Manuscripts and photographs are solicited, but do not Chris Dreibelbis represent the views of the Forum unless so stated. EortoRIAL BOARD Peter Smith Second class postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send David A. Fuscus address changcs to Ripon Forum, 227 Massachusetts., N.E., suite 201 Woshington, D.C . 20X12 Jean HIlYcs Bill Tate Subscription rates: SI8 per year, S9 for students, servicemen, Peace Corps, Vista and other volunteers Steven Klinsky and $30 for institutions. Overseas, please add S8. Please allow live weeks for address change. OIlIGINALOOv[R DESICN The Ripon Society Inc., Peter Smith, president, is a reSCilrch and pol icy organization whose members R. 1. Matson arc bIL~incss,acadcmic, and profe;sional men and women. It ishcadqullnered in Washington, D.C., with INTERIOR ART National Associate members throughout the United States. Ripon is supported by chapter dues, Charlie DeWitt individu.11 contributions, and revenues from its publications.

AI/gllst 1993 3 Editorial

To under­ stand the argument of your career those who aOO}'Ourreio-pcct. support the gay and You arc discharged lesbian ban in the for something that the miliuuy, some have gay conummity agrees is suggested this analogy: predetermined as being Walking oo\.\TJ the street, you handed, or a woman, or encounter 40 people, half who are men and halfwho are women. You If this isn't bad enough, it's also are all placed in one room. You will do a huge waste ofmoney . In 1990 alone, the everything together. Eat. Sleep. Work. military discharged 1,000 service members Then of course there is the dreaded at a cost ofS27million to retrain and replace shower. Will you be comfortable with the encountered when they, too, ....'81\100 to fight thosc who were gay and lesbian. Between fact you will have to shower, day after day, and to serve their country. 1980 and 1990, the military let go o\·er with both men and women whom you really In 1941 , the U.S. Navy issued this 16 ,919 service members al a cost of don'l know? No, of course not. BUI what directive when African Americans wanted $493,195,968 to replace them. In most does this ha\'c to do with gays in the mili- to serve in the Naval branch of the Anned cases, these charges were brought against IMfI Forces: " Thecloscand intimaleconditions men and women who had served admirably The fact is it doesn't, but this is how of life aboard ship, the necessity for the and had no other tarnish on their record than those who oppose lifting the ban have justi­ highest possible degree of unity and esprit­ that ofbcing homosexual. fied their opinions. " We can '1 sacrifice our de-(:orps; the requirement of morale - all For a good example, we need only to defense for a social experiment," they say. these demand nothing be done which may look north. Second 1.1. Michelle Douglas of "Such bchaviorcoulddamagc morale," say adversely affect the situation. Past experi­ Canada decided she could no longer stand il. others. ence has shown irrefutably that the enlist­ After being taken to a hotel and verball y Congress has been intmdated with let­ ment ofNcgrocs (other than for mess atten­ grilled for t ....,o days on whether she or her terson this issue. Thosewholive in military dants) leads to disruptive and undennining freinds were lesbians, she filed suit As a strongholds and southern bible bell states conditions... " Of course now this state­ result, the Canadians lifted their restrictions are more apt to beopposcd to the rcmo\'8\ of ment sounds almost archaic. on gays due to the court action she brought the ban. Their ideas are similar to the ones In 1993, a Depanrnent of Defense di­ against them. held by 46 percent of those who re~'J>Ondcd recti \'e states " The presence of such mem­ Although gays and lesbians had been in a recent U.S. Newsand World Report poll bers [gays and lesbiansj adversely affects allowed to join the Canadian military since and believe homosexuals choose to be gay the ability of the Anned Forces to maintain 1998, they could not be transferred or pr0- and lesbian and who therefore oppose civil discipline, good order and morale ... to facili­ moted. With the ncw]Xllicy, this has changed rights for gays. Fonner news anchor and tate assignment and worldwidc deployment and tolen:mcc is included in the attitudinal freshman Congressman HCTLry Bonilla, R­ of service members who frequently must training classes required ofall service ])CQple. Texas, said that he too has heard similar live and work under close conditions afford­ The high command now dictates that no opinions from his district but that he was ing minimal privacy..... The directive has harnssment of gays and lesbians will be more in line with the military's position, been in effect since 1943. allowed and, ifrcponOO, will not pass with­ "I belie\'e in equal rights forevCI'YOfIe, Like African Americans, W{lfnen , and out punishment of the guilty party. To date, whether it crosses ethnic lines, religious all other minorities, homoscxuals in the there have been no resignations or infrac­ lines, or sexual behavior, it's nobody's busi­ military are harassed. Some are actually tions reponed. In Canada, and now in their ness what someone's lifestyle is," Bonilla beaten. Some are killed. But un like being a military, tolerance is the credo. said. >< 1 worked and welcomed gays work­ minorityorbeinga woman, the military will But wearetwoseparateconntries. The ing in our newsrooms over the years. But now ask gay and lesbian service people to U.S. military consists of 1.7 million people this is different. This is ~methi ng that hide what is inherently part of them. This who come from e\'el)' race and nationality. involves tension, close quarters, long times " Don't ask, Don't tell " policy is about (IS Each time a new subset is introduced, we away from home, morale, and our defense is ludicrous as asking one to hide the fact one's hear the tired excuse that we cannot jcopar. not something that we can go arolmd ....'On')'- hair is brown. dize military strength. Throughout United ingaboutwhoseneedsaresalisfied; ... when Others disagree. You don't have tell Stales' history, we have learned that in it's time to perform, all this reality and anybody, )'Ou know, that you're gay. You diversity lies, not less, but more strength. political correctness is out the door." can just keep it to yoursclf, hoping nobody It's the American way. To exclude gays and Unfortwuuely, the prejudice gays and finds out, living in fear and preparing forthe lesbians from military service, to pre\·cnt lesbians must endure runs deep. In fact, \\'Orst. Because if they do find out. or if them from serving their country, simply is critics of the ban identify their crusade with somebody mentions illo somebody else, or not in Ollr national charncter or tradition. the discrimination women and minorities they see a picture you keep in your wallet, - MIMI CARTER

4 The RIPON FORUM Comment

A Modest Proposal

by John 0. Sutter

What should Ame rica do about Bosnia? Many have been debating whether we should bother about the Muslim Slavs of Bosnia or just write them otT. First, we must rcali 7..c that conflicts in the former Yugoslavia have been festering ever since Dobrica Cosic (for­ merly the President ofYugo slavia) gave an intellectual backing to the claims of Greater Serbia and Sioboda n Miloscvic took control oUhe Serbian Communist Pany and began the persecution of the majority Albanians in the province of Kosovo. Two years have passed si nce Serbs launched open warfare agai nst the Slovenes and Croats who, after vot­ ing for independence, seceded from the Communist Serb-controllcd Yugosla­ via. Already politicians and pundits have forgotten Serb annihilation of Sillier Conlinllcd on page 22

ArigusI1991 5 Cover Story

Bungle in the Jungle: It's Not Allright With Me ....

erat (the $50 rebate) and it used its new of huge debt. the rising dcficits. and Bill Clinton Budget Act to inflate presidcntial bud­ unfunded liabilities too horrible to con­ gets with expansionary stimul i. Con­ template, President Clinton has cntered gTess dreamed of a Victnam "peace at stage left. Hc was onl y partially awarc says his budget dividend" but awoke to discover Ihe that the star was not on his dressing dividend was spent long before it was room door. but rather on the doorofthc plan will work. payablc. Legislative Branch. The fi scal tasks The spending of the 1970s pro­ confronting him would have made duced regular deficits but lumed oul to Houdini blanch. Brookings' be onl y a warm-up fOT the Olympian The President did nol talk much of spending that would follow. Thcdclugc fiscal policy during his campaign. His Bill Frenzel began with the latcr Can cr mi li tary promises could. most charitably. be dc­ budgcts. but flood slage was reached scribed as " fuzzy." Aftcr midsummer says he thinks under Presidcnt Reagan in the I 980s. 1992, words such as budgets. deficits Congress. whose power of the purse and spending cuts seldom passed his gives it primary spending culpability, lips. There was little hard evidencc in otherwise. used the Reagan military challengc to the campaign that this "New Demo­ the " Evil Empirc" to ratchet up its crat" Clinton would handle deficits like spending for its own constituencies. "Cold Warrior" Nixon handled China. Twcmy years ago. all of official After twelve ye.·lrS of Republican but thai hope existed. Washing10n talked ea rnestly of elimi­ control of thc White House, two ver­ Clinton promptly appointed an eco­ nating deficits. There was even talk of sions ofGramm-Rudmil n, one Reagan nomic tcam which nurtured that hope. paying off some of the national debt. and two Bush fi scal summits, and end­ The tea m wascenlrist, surely to ri ght of And why not? AI that lime, a federal less promises ofbalanccd budgets. the the Democrat center. The team and its surplus yem . fi scal year 1%9, was still deficit fl ood continues to ri se. That captain. the President, wcre then clois­ a recent memory. period produced more than a S21rillion tered in thc Roosevclt Room of thc Because persistent and growing river ofred ink. The national debt about White House for a few days. searching deficits were not perceived as a major doubled to morc than S4 trillion. fo r spending cuts and fonnulating the problem in the 19705, neither Presi­ What only some expected has now Clinton Vision/or America. Fordeficit dents. nor Congresses, took them seri­ become truc. David Stockman's 198 1 hawks who had cheered thc New Demo­ ously. Ea rly in thcdccadc, Congress put vision has become a night marc. He crat. the Vision--and the budget which Cost Of Living Adjustments (COLAs) fo resaw $200 billion deficits " as far as fo llowed--was a crushing disappoint­ into the Social Security system. Ironi­ the eyc could sec." The bad dreams of ment. cally. this was an act offru galitYlostem Stockman's first Democrat successor at even greater benefit increases. but il was the Office of Managcment and Budget THE VISION OF AMERICA the begi nni og of unchecked cnli liemcni (OMS), former Congressman Leon The Vision relied on thc world's gro\\1h. Panetta, must be much worse. largest tax increase in history to cover After Watergate. Congress began new spending and to produce modest. to fl ex ils fi scal muscles. It laughed ofT PRESIDENT CLINTON ANO HIS shon-lived reduction in the deficil. T hat presidential initiatives. both Republi­ ECONOMIC TEAM modest reduction produced a deficit of can (Whip Inflation Now) and Demo- Againstlhe dismal fiscal backdrop just over $200 billion in FY 1997, his

6 The RIPON FORUM last year. Thereafter, the deficit was early in the economic team's delibera­ hours in a meeting. or SWC.1t expended. calculated to soar again. tions on the budget. Rea I, pennanent deficit cuts arc the on Iy The news got worse when the Con­ Finally, the Vision is at least par­ test. gressional Budget Office. the somewhat tially in eonniet with congressional 3.The Vision and budget a re docu­ objective financial ann orthc Congress, spending priorities. The Congress con­ ments prcsented as frcc of smoke and scored the Vision. lis projection of the centrates on funding and increasing old mirrors. Such statc ments should be Clinton policy showed a deficit for FY programs invented by old Congress­ tcnder and tasty, because the makcrs 2003 of about $400 billion. a painful men. Mr. Clinton focuses on spending lhcrcofusually havclocatthcm . A morc ilIustmtion of the futility of chasing forthe new promisesofa new President. accurate statement would be that the deficits with new taxes instcadofspend­ When the Executive Branch quarrels smoke and mirrorsarc different than in iog cuts. More to the point, it showed a with the Legislative, history shows they thc past. but the style is not. baseline deficit of over $320 billion for both win. Only the taxpayers lose. Each timc new spending is not sub­ 1993, and over $600 billion for 2003. tracted from spending cuts, or taxes arc Reality, always inconvenient and WHERE THE VISION WENT WRONG described as spending cuts, or interest unpleasant forbudgcteers, had raised its The Clinton economic plan is less costs are underestimated. or a major ugly head. The business community ofa vision than a sight. On its face it is clement (health care) is not presented, began to get nervous. With health carc neither deficit -reducer nor expcnse-cut­ but savings are claimed, the economic spending still absent from the Vision, ter. Stripped of its rhetorical guises, it team's nose grows a bit. the eso uncapped baseline deficit was has little else to recommend it. How­ Each PresidcnI gets about one good too large a dose of reality. It was clearly ever. there arc some basic flaws. other shot at the budget. Reagan took his in not what the voters had in mind last than its numbers. that deserve special 1981: Bush in 1990. Neither was a November. recognition: resounding success. Clinton may be All told, the Vision promised less I . It follows the Democrat propen­ lucky enough to get another chance. but net spending reductions than the total sity oftrying to reduce deficits by ra isi ng that isnot likely. Hisbcst shot was 1993. military spending cuts. Spending cuts taxes. The blunt fact is that taxes alone and, so far. it has been a misfire. were to total $331 billion. but $100 can't catch skyrocketing expe nses. He chose insufficient deficit reduc­ billion of them were really Social Secu­ Expenses must be cut or capped. Our tion which actuall y allows the defic it to rity tax increases and fees, and then indexed tax system grows revenues at soar in the years after his tenn. Hechose there was a $162 billion item for new about the rate of gross domestic product insufficient expense reduction or limi­ " investment" spending. The spending grO\\1h. If taxes a rc raised to eliminate tation. which insures that costs will cuts actually net to aboUl $70 billion the deficit completely. the deficit will continue to mnaway from revenues. His over 5 years. grow right back in a few years unless tax program isa mistake. espcciallythat In the same period, the world's expenses a rc curtailed. part ofil which falls on people he prom­ record tax increase included $328 bil­ The President seems to understand ised to protect. It is a jOb- reducer rather lion in new taxes. less $83 billion in tax this phenomenon as it applies to health than a job-builder. reductions. plus the $100 billion in costs. but other costs are rising faster In short the opportunities havcbeen misdescribed Social Security taxes and than GOP growth. as well. missed. The oncc-in-four-years chance fees. Those new taxes net to about $345 2. The President and his economic has been wasted. What seemed to be a billion and most of them will be ab­ team gave up too soon in their search fo r young. vigorous New Democrat now sorbed by new spending. more and larger expense cuts. The Presi­ appears a tired old onc instead. The rclationship of spending cuts dent has 5<1id that they worked very hard of $70 billion 10 new taxes of $345 in the Roosevelt Room. and that the billion is about one to five. This fact is minuscu Ie cuts were enough. Very few Bill Frenzel is a former congressman somewhat removed from the two to one people would agree. from 1I1innesola and is noll' a resident ratio cited by OMB Director Panetta Budget success is nol measured by scholar at the Brookings InstilIIte.

His tax program is a mistake, especially that part of it which falls on people he promised to protect.

August 1993 7 Cover Story______"This is ground control to Major Bill: You've got it wrong. " by John Robson

If, ·'It's the Economy, Stupid" .the stated (and desirable) objectives of stimu­ Then there is "Clinton's Gap." successful lcitmotif of the Clinton lating economic growth, creating jobs, Clinton's Gap is not a dental irregularity, presidential campaign, was slated inducing invcstment and savings, and a scenic wonder or a historic mountain for discard after he assumed office - pass; rather, it is the consistent incompat­ - we should pause a moment. The ibility between the economic objectives economic health ofthecountry ri ght­ If enacted, the Mr. Clinton says he wants and the eco­ fully continues to dominate the con­ nomic programs he proposes to accom­ sciousness of the American people. Clinton plish them. In part, this is eaused by the conflict­ For example, the President says he ing economic news in the sawtooth economic wants to create more jobs. But we know recovery we have been experiencing. program would that a burdensome tax increase will have But morc directly, it is the seriously the opposite effect. Jobs are erc.1ted by flawed tax-and-spend economic pro­ reduce U.S. savings and investment, yet Clinton's gram proposed by President Clinton plan jumps the lOp individual tax bracket that is suppressi ng economic growth, employment by to near 40% (from the present 31%), sappingconsumerconfidencc, push­ imposes a 36% bracket on individuals ing inflation and interest rates higher, 3.2 million jobs with SI 15,000 income and couples with and giving thejiHcrs 10 the financial and real SI40,000. So right off, the potential markets. All this is undcrscored by savings pool from upper-middle and the contrast between the robust 4.7% economic output higher income individuals is gobbled up economic growth in the last full quar­ by the lax co llcctor. ter of 1992 -- the final quarter of the by $450 billion Then Mr. Clinton proposes to increase Bush Administration -- and an ane­ by 1996. the corporate tax rate from 34% to 36% mic .9% growth in the fi rst quarter Docs anyone think that this will induce under Clinton. companies to hire more wo rkers? Docs At this point, the fate of Clinton 's reducing the Federal budget deficit. In anyone think that this will encourage economic plan in the Congress is fact, one widely known economist pre­ businesses to invest more injob creating uncertain -- pri marily because enough dicts that, if enacted, the Clinton eco­ new equipment or facilities? Of course members of his own party have re­ nomic program would reduce U.S. em­ not. The effccls will be precisely the belled to throw the whole thing up in ploymcnt by 3.2 million jobs and real opposite. the air. This rebellion is not a result economic output by $450 billion by 1996. Mr. Clinton says he wants to help of the p:ripheral episodes like $200 Let 's look at the reasons fo r these dark small business --because he knows that in haircuts, and White House travel of­ predictions. lhc pasldccademostofthe 18 million new fice irregularities, which have cap­ Foremost. there is no evidence that jobs crc.1ted have come from small busi­ tured so much media attention. No, any society ever taxed its way to prosper­ ness. But what he docsn 't seem to know th is rebell ion is the result of a bad ity. And the Clinton economic plan pro­ is thatabout80 pcrcent ofU.S. businesses /Xonomic proposal that has scant poses the largest tax increase in the his­ -- proprietorships. partnerships and Sub­ prospect of accomplishing Clinton's tory of this Republic. Chapter-S corporations -- pay their laxes

8 The RIPON FORUM under the individual income tax code so that the sharp increases in individual tax rates will suck up resources from small busi ness entrepreneurs - resources which could otherwise be used to start and ex­ pandjob creating small business acti vity. One should also recognize that some 50 TUAT'S WHY of Clinton's proposals which relale tolhe ITS CAllED taxation of foreign activities will drive 5NAK£OIL ... high-paying U.S. jobs in research and technology away from the U.S. to foreign sites. A number of large multinational firms have already noted this perversity in the Clinton plan. And whi le we ' re on the subject of job creation. there is a wealth of solid empiri­ eal C\'idencc which suggests that when the costs of employment go up. employ­ ment goes down. Yet. apparently oblivi­ OilS to these facts, the Clinton Adminis­ tration has already enacted obligatory family leave, proposed increas ing the minimum wage and prohibited the re­ placement of striking employees. Allof these will incrcaseemploymcnt cosls and suppress job creati on. President Clinton persistently refers to his economic plan as a " deficit reduc­ tion plan." The question is: "Will it be?" defi cit increases and between 1962 and lion in supposed savings from Under the Clinton plan. some defi cit 1991 there were 47 tax increases yet only "streamlining government" and reduction occurs over the next five yea rs, one balanced budget (1969). other' 'admini strative cfficicncies. ") but it is not absolute reduction. By their The way to attack the budget deficit is Martin Feldstcin, a fonner member own numbers. it is reduction against what nOI to raise taxes but lo cut spending. And of the President's Council of Ec0- the defi ci t might otherwi se be without here is a major design flaw in the Clinton nomic Advisors and a highly re­ anydefi cil conltol. In fact, Fcdcralspend­ economic plan. For every dollar of spected economist, estimates that ing in 1998 will be $301 billion higher spending reduction there, the Ameri­ behavioral cha nges by ta:\l'aycrs most than today and over S I lrillion will have can people get fourdollan ofne", taxes, heavily impacted by Clinton's ta.x been added to the national debt. Then, a far cry from Clinton's well -publicized proposal (for example, seeking ta.x after five years. the Cl inion program shows campaign promise of two dollars of shel ters. reducing income-producing a ~ resurgence in the budget deficit. spending cuts for every dollar of new work efforts, CIC. ) , will result in only To put thi s plan into context. we have laxes. Besides that. nearly threc-quarters onc-quarter of the revenues projeeted some instructive experience on the corre­ of all the spending cuts 3re from one in Clinlon's plan actually cnding up lation between higher taxes and budget place: the dercnse budget. And the pro­ in the Treasury. deficilS. Accordingto theloint Economie posed cuts are scheduled to come at the So, when subjected 10 a reality Committee of the Congress. C\'ery dollar end ofthc five year period whilc the new check. Mr. Clinton'sclaim that hc is of higher taxes between 1947 and 1990 ta.xes and increased domestic spending offering the nation a tough defi cit has been associated with $1 .59 more come allhe beginning. Morcovcr, many reduction plan looks pretty weak. spending. In fact. the last four tax in­ of the proposed cuts and higher taxes are creases have been followed by budget highly speculative (for example, $22 bil- Robson conlinlled on page 26

AI/EllS( 1993 , Society

Welfare Reform

Rhetoric, Reality & Redemption

by Faye M. Anderson

THE RHETORIC poverty and hopelessness to economic independence and proouctivity . there is a fi seal imperative to rclieve this drain on In 1992 candidate Bill Clinlon promised to " make wei· our financial and human resources. farea second chance; nOI a way or life" by requiring that all recipients enroll in an cdUc.1tion and training program. and if THE REALITY after two ycnrs they have fail ed to find ajob, they must perform community service in exchange fo r assistance. Failure to do The reality is this: in 1991. lhe last year fo r which statistics so would lead to the termination ofbcncfHs. arc ava ilable, 4.3 million families and 8.4 million children - Now that it is 1993. the American people arc becoming - 12.9 percent of all children - were dependent on Aid to disillusioned with President Clinton's inaction. He now. from Families with Dependent Children (AFDe), This compared lime to lime. dons the vestment of we Ifarc reform. Following with 3.5 percent of children in 1960 and I L2 percent of a series of hair raisi ng missteps that contradict his claim of children in 1980. In 1990 spending on all welfare programs, being a " new Democrat." this rhetori cal dressing is widely such as AFDe. foOO stamps and housing subsidies. totaled perceived asa cyni c..11 and hollow gesture 10 cstablish hisbona S2 11.9 bi ll ion compared with $28.9 billion in 1960. and fides as a centrist. S159.3 billion in 1980. In constant 1990 dollars. welfare The new SecretaI)' ofHeailh and Human Services, Donna spcnding represented 3.9 percent ofth e gross national product Shalala. who. as chairman of the Children's Defense Fund, in 1990: in 1960 and 1980, it represented 1.4 and 3.6 percent, made clear her antipathy toward the vel)' welfare-ta-work respectively. programs that candidate Clinton espoused, is now responsible What has this spending wrought? Among olher things, for administeri ng the system. Indeed. duri ng her confimlation it is parti.11ly responsible for the concentration of poverty i n our hearing, SecretaI)' Shalala was chided by Senator Daniel um1n centers. the destruction of urban sehool systems, rising Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) for devoting only one sentence in levels of crime and violence in our schools and neighborhoOOs her opening statement to welfare reform. and the exacerbation of racial and class tensions. Additionally. T he need for welfare reform transcends mere party lines, it has fu rther weakened the two-family structure becausc of campaign promises and accountability. Apart from the moral policies that foster single parent families and ensure that one im perative to assist recipients to make the transition from in five children lives in poverty.

10 The RWON FORUM By providing incentives that link assis­ contretemps orlasl Juneand his withdrawal or tance to progress toward personal responsibi l­ the controversia l nomination orL.1ni Guinicr ity and economic independence, the govern­ as assista nt altom ey general ror civil rights at ment can playa crucial. albeit limited. role in the U.S. Department or Justice. breaking the cycleorintc rgenerational depen­ President Clinton can begin by appoint­ dency. To this end. the Family Support Ad or ing a bipartisan task rorce, independent or his 1988 mandates that a ll states establish a Job ne wly appointed inte ragency welrare Opportunities and Basic Skills Training burcacracy group. to undertake a comprehen­ (JOBS) program, to help recipients obtain sive review or redcral a nd st.1te programs and assistance in making the tra nsi tion rrom wcl­ policies. The task rorce must develop short rare 10 work. recogni7.i ng that a job is the a nd 10llg tenn strategies to bre.1k the cycle or surest exit out or welrare. dependency. The review must pay pmticuia r Despite the statislics and evidence de­ attention to intended and unintended conse­ manding change in our national welra re pro­ By providing que nces or any proposed rerorm. In addition gra m, those in Congress and the White House to workfa re. the task roree must also make have decided we should wa it. Thererore. incentives that recommendations as to the userulness orpro­ included in this year's budget reconciliation posals that havebccn c haracteri zed by wc!rarc resolution passed by the HouscorRepresenta­ link assistance to advocales as " punishing " childrc n ro r the tivcs is the Clinton administration's proposal irresponsibility or their pments. These re­ to delay ror one yc.1 r a work participation progress toward ro mls include de nial or additional benefi ts 10 requireme nt ror unemployed parents who re­ single mothers who have more children, a ceive Arne. The resolut ion also dclays ro r person al rerorm supported by 57% or African Ameri ­ one year development or eri teria by whieh the cans. according to a 1992 survcy taken by the Department or Health and Human Services respon sibility and Joint Center ro r Political a nd Economic Slud­ must evaluate SL1tCS'S perfonnancc under the ies. JOBS program. the program under which thc economic As one who grew up in onc or the most President 's promise to "end welra re as we econo mically depressed communities in the know it" will be measured. independenc e, nation, the Bedrord-Stuyvesant section or These proposed delays. coupled with pro­ Brooklyn, New York. a nd who knows fi rst­ posed increases in spending on traditional the governmnet ha nd a child's humiliation or sitting in a welrare programs. such as rood stamps and welfare office waiti ng to see a caseworker, Head Start. a nd the railu re to appoint a bipa r­ can play a there is nothi ng more punitive Ihan consign­ tisan welrare reronn task rorce. belie the rheto­ ing a child to a ruture or derc.1 t; to a lire in ric or welrare rerorm. President Clinton's cru cial, albeit which he or she rarely sees an adult gainfull y penchant ror task rorees is indicative or the employed, where hope is cmshed a nd a teell­ priority he attaches to a n issue: the absence or limited, role in age pregnancy is the onl y preparation re­ a high profile welra rc reronn task rorce quired ror a lircJongjob -- as a welrare mother. seemingly places this issue ofT thc President 's breaking the The goal or welrare rerorm must not be to radar scrccn. " rei nvent" thc welfarc bure.1 ucracybystream­ cycle of lining the administration or benefits or de­ THE REDEMPTION? stigmatizing recipients through Ihe use or intergen erational tcchnology such as the Electronic Bene fi t T he President can redcem his campaign depend ency. System praised by Vice President Albert Gore. promise by rocusing on the tragedyorcontin­ Instead, the goal or a wel ra re rerorm must be ued welra re dependency. with its dashing or two-rold: I) moving recipients toward ec0- hope and erippli ng or spi ri!. He must move nomic independence and personal responsi­ beyond this rhetoric or risk rueli ng the grow­ bility: and 2) promoting thc rormation ortwo­ ing suspicion ormany Arrican Americans that pment rami lies. An)1hing !ess is no more than the President 's idea or' 'wclra re rerorm" is no welfhre as we now know it. R more than a thinly-disguiscd signal to white voters that he will stand up to certain special Faye At. Anderson;s executive director o/the interests, meaning blacks. T here is also the Council 0/ 100, a nalional organization 0/ lemptation to lump this inaction in the same A/rican American Republicans. category with his contrived Sister Soulja h

August 1993 11 Politics

On May 7, President Clinton offered a camp

12 The RIPON FORUM Big contributions from special interests ... allows House incumbents to get re­ elected at record rates and build vast bers whom they have to oppose an incum­ lobbied in the past war chests to scare off serious bent with an average twelve months. It is warchcstofS632,OOO. vital that wcbreak this challengers thus making the House a Not surprisingly, none connection between of these challengers special interest and body with little true competition. won. money process so that Ma ny oppo­ co ngre ss men and nents of campaign fi­ se nators will make nancereform makean rc.1 sonablc and ratio- argument which is nal decisions without the pressure of moneyed power brokers. simply contrary tothe facts. To beat incumbents, thcysay, you If this proposed funding system had been in effect during must have the abi lity to outspend them. Thus spending limits the last Senate elcct ions. il would have cut incumbents' are 5.1 id to be pro-incumbent. campaign spending by $37 million which is nc.'lriy a third. That argument is inaccurate for two reasons. First. in a Challengers' spending would have been reduced by just less system withoul spend ing limits, incumbents will almost al­ than $ 1 million. Furthcnnorc. ch..11lcngcrs would have ben­ ways be able to raise more mone)' and outspend challengers. efited from new resources. including .. n additional S 12 million As a practical maHer, caps on total spending will usually only in vouchers. for expenses such as television ads, for Senate limit incumbents bec..1 Use only incu mbents will raise as much challengers alone. as the C.1 P permits. The Sena te bill would also ban PAC contributions alto­ Second, anyone who has been in politics and run cam­ gether, Should this provision be ruled unconstitutional. new paigns knows th,It it is possible to hc..1t an opponent who restrictions on individual PAC contributions and aggregate outspends you two-to-one, One can overcome those odds. But PAC donations would be enforced. Forinslance. lhebilI which you can rarcly overcome odds of fi ve- or len-to-one. To give Congress passed laSI year reduced PAC contributions to no challengers of both major parties a fai r shot. spending limits more Ihan 20 percent of the total contributions received by and some public resources are indispen5.1ble. each Senate ca ndidate. To level the political playing ficld Senate Republican Leader, Senator Bob Dole, R-Kans., further, the bill would 1>.1n the usc of ta xpayer-funded mass has cri ticized the President's ca mpa ign finance reform pro­ mailings (t he frank) during election years. poSo11 asanti-Republiean. However, during a recent interview Opponents of reform have argued that the Senate bill is on NBC News' Meel the Press. he acknowledged that cam­ pro-incumbent and even partisan. But the facts arc clear and paign finance reform, including public benefits, is the key to indisputable. The current system of financing congressional Republican competitivcness in the House. "You know, I've ca mpaigns gives an ovenvhelming and unfair advantage to told my Republican friends in the House ifthcy were smart, incumbents of ei ther P.1rty. they would accept the public financing provision and sunset it The situation is worst in the U.S. House of Reprcscnta­ after four years, ~ Dole So:1id ... That would give us enough time ti\'es. The founding fathers intended that it should be the body to take over the House of Reprcscntati\,es." closest to the people which is why they provided for House As Senator Dole conceded. ca mpaign finance reform elections eve!)' two yCt1rs. Big contributions from special would be good for Republic.1n challengers simply because interests has effectively reversed that arrangement. This there ate so many more Democrats than Republicans in the money allows House incumbents to gel re-elected at record House. rates and build v3st war chests to scare ofT serious challengers Is ca mpaign finance refonn consistent with Republican thus making the House a body with lillie true competition. principles to suppon limits on lotal spending and public, Today most Houses races arc " financially uncontested." taxpayer funded resources for political candidates? In 1992, For example, in 237 of the 406 raccs in 1990 where incumbents a majority of Republican challengers forthe House thought so. were running for reelection, there was either no ehallenger at all. orone who had only S25.000 or less in campaign resources Cabot conlinued on page 26

Augllst 1993 13 Profiles and Prospectives

Freshman Congressman Henry Bonilla is an anomaly to Texas politics. He says he 's not a moderate, although he 's pro-choice, but says he is a conservative but voted for big money programs such as the Space Station and the Super Collider. He says he cares about the people of his district, which with 58 counties along the Mexican border is the one of the poorest sections of the state, but supports no specific health care reform plan or urban planning program. Why did he run for Congress? Lone Star

14 The RIPON FORUM People in my district ... want spending cut first. They don't support taxing social security, they don 't support FORUM: Was your in this country. I come first run for Congress raising energy taxes. It's a philosophy from a low income back­ your first political expe­ ground, a nd I still go all rience? interwoven throughoutTexas and the the time to myoid neigh­ BONILLA: I come borhood to visi l my par­ from the private sector and border, even in 98 percent Hispanic cnts. Just by being awarc I'm just a worker. a man­ of what it is thc folks in the ager. and understand how communities. heartland arc concerned to balance budgets and pay­ aboul, I think it 's some- rolls and all that. So really thing that's always just to speak of. although I did been second naturc 10 me. do some public relations for Governor Thornburgh, and it was So I can', imagine following that rolcofiosing louch. but, hey, very imponant to his following through on some big commit­ ifllosc touch. I hope people work doublly hard to throw me ments that he made to the people of Pennsylvania. I guess that out, so I'm nol conccrned about it. I come from the private was. to a great degree, political involvement, but it was very sector. I'll go back to work and I don' t need 10 be a career brief, it was less than a yea r, and it was over a decade ago. politician anyway. FORUM: What made you lea,'c thetclevision industry FORUM: You are the first Hisl)anic Republican to and cnter the I)olilical arena? represent Texas in Congress and represent a district that BONILLA: People think it soundscomy. bull felt a real is primarily Democratic in origin. During yourcamlJaign, calli ng and a necessity because the person who was hOlding there " 'ere Bonilla/Clinton stickcrs in your district, What this scat was the antithesis of cveryvalue that weall hold dear does that say a bout the 23rd District and how will you to our hearts, I think not just in Texas, but in many commu­ effecth'ely represent this constituency which is so politi­ nities in this country. a nd I believe that wc need to be fiscally cally heterogenous? responsible, and my opponent believed that wc needed 10 raise BONILLA: And it's also 70perccnt minority. (have fai th taxes and give congressmen pay raises. He was raled as Ihe in people's good judgment, and I went out inlo all my area, number one spender in theentire Texas delegalion. And being every community in my area, and talked (0 people early on. We a fiscal conservative --as a matter offact. we checked with the startedcarly and worked bard for almOSI a year and a half solid. National Taxpayers' Unit, and the bills that I've sponsored as Democrats in Texas are diffe rent from the Democrats in of Friday would put me in thc negalive $9 billion category. So Washington, and I point that out everywhere I go. People in I feellikcwc need to cut spending first bcforewceverconsider my district -- (just went out to 25 counties during the Easter taking another dollar out of the pockets oflhe working people break - they want spending to be cut firsl, they don' t support ofthis country. taxing social security, lhey don ' I support raising energy laxes. So al l thesc issues. and plus there were a lot ofo ther factors It's a philosophy interwoven throughout Texasand the border, related tOlhe incumbcnlthat I thought. how could theydothis. even in 98 percent Hispanic communities. howcan webe redistricted into this area and be forced to accept And they also arc very angry about the gays in the military a guy who's been in politics all his life. and even made no secret issue. I said it's because a lot of those families, again, come of wanting to benefit himself more? He's since been indicted from a legacy of, " My father was Democrat, my grandfather and is going to trial in July. so I guess things played out the way was Democrat." back in the daysofLBJ and Sam Rayburn and we expected. all those Democratic historical figures that really entrenched FORUM: When you ran against Albert Bustamante that state into thinking that you just have to vote Democrat. ( you claimed hewas out of touch with ,·oters' concerns, Are say, look, you haven't changed: the Washington liberal Demo­ you worried that )'ou too might fall out of touch with your crats have changed. You don' t have Ihis in common with voters, and what will you do fo pre,'ent this from happen­ them, You don' t have X in common with them, you don', have ing? Y in common with them, do you? And they go, " No, I don' t BONILLA: Well, I've always been the kind of person. because I don't believc that we need to be taking more money whoenjoysdoinga lot ofthings and staying in touch with what out of our pockets right now to pay for boondoggles thai the I feel keeps one's finger on the pulse of what people a re doing President wants to pay for. I don' t believe that we should have

Augltst 1993 15 gays in the military, I believc in a strong done, "I'll say. okay. soit's nOl going toaffeet derense, they don't. " morale, and you're ror it, then I would con­ So in separaling philosophically, because sider changing my position on that. But we On gays in the a 101 orrolks. espcciallyin Hispanic neighbor­ havc to do, as elected officials, e"crything we military: hoods, have a strong link 10 thci r parents, a nd can to make thc miIitary'sjob easier, and this they don't want 10 think that, " My ci.1d was mclkcs it harder. wrongor my mom was wrong, and I' m right." FORUM: One of your colleagues re­ They want to think -- and Ihis is accurate - cently chided your supporters saying that they want to believe Ihat they were right a nd all a rreshman you ha"e no political pull. now I'm ri ghl and voted ror the same things Yet. )'OU a rc the onl)' rreshman in recent "Our defense is even though the labels on the parties are memory to be assigned to the AI)propria­ different. I always call1RepublicansJlhe rree lions Committee. How did you do it? not something enterprise party too, and the taxpayer p.:1rty, BONILLA: Well . everyone 's victol')' in which I believc is indisputable. their district is uniquc, but when I won. I wenl that we can go And SO as I make those arguments out to the leadership and said we 've penetrated a there, that's exactly how I was able to capture culture that's never been penetrated berore by around more voters. In thecaseorPrcsident Bush last RepUblicans, even though people like Reagan year, he blended 100 much with the establish­ a nd Bush and Gramm a rc popular in those worrying about ment up here and hegol in big trouble. That's areas, wc 1c.1prrogged all that by a 20' point whose needs why you had ClinlonlBonilla supporters. margin in a bord er district. FORUM: As a freshma n, how are you Back when I was campaigning ror this are satisfied; handling the politically hot issue of gays in Appropriations scat. I said, what arc we going the military! Arc you al)proaching it dif­ to St1Y to the prople? Did we do a ll we could we have to fe rently rrom your freshma n colleagues, or back in '92 to help telegraph to this culture arc you listening strictly to your ,·oters· that the Republicans care about this district worry about ... concerns? and that il is special 10 them? And the BONILLA: I' m listening tothe military's leadership ri ghl down the line, whcther it was defending our opinion a nd I'm listening to the voters' opin­ Bob Michel or Ne\\1 Gingrich or Bill Archer, country or the ions, and it 's consistent with my opinion. I they all St1id, " You' re right ." believe in equal rights ror everyone, whether Senator Gramm likes to say, a nd it really lives of the it crosses ethnic lines. religious lines, or se.xual kind or humbles me and makes me recl the behavior, it' s nohody's business what significance or what happened because some­ people in the somconc's Iirestyle is, and I worked with and times when you' re in the game you don' t welcomed gays working in our newsrooms understand how significanl it is, but he said service. It's over the years. But Ihis is different, Ihis is my existence in this job is a threat to the something that involves tension, close quar­ Democratic Party as il exists now in Texas. time to perform ters. long times away rrom home, moralc, and That just really makcs me realizc the magni­ and all this our derense is nOI something that we can go tude or it. and that is what the 1c.1dership a round worrying about whose needsarcsatis­ recognized. We made headway by my being reality and fied: we have to worry about when it comes Ihe first Rcpublican Hispanic elecled rrom down to defending our country or the lives or Texas. So )'mjust delighted lobeon Ihewa"e political the people in the service, it's time 10 perform, orlhis historic change in politics in Texas. It's and ailihis rcalityand political correctness is very exciting. correctness is out the door. So I'm a rcalist in that regard, FORUM: You" 'e entered a class of and I thi nk that we need 10 preser"e that. and legislators that ha,'e dubbed themseh 'es out the door. irthe military. one day theenlistcd people and rerormers. a nd ~ ' ou ~' oursclf support term the brass, the Joint Chiers. come to us and say. limil'iof8 years, the hal anced budgel a mend­ "Now it wouldn' t be disruptive, and now it's ment and the line-item ,·eto. With Repub­ something that we all agree that needs to be licans out or the majority and the White

16 The RIPON FORUM House, how do you pmpose to push such protectionist. he wants to li ve in the ' 50s, refonns thmugh. and dothey represent the when ou r economy. the wo rld economy, was priorities of your district? different. BONILLA: They all represent the priori­ Ifwe had frozen the way we operated back On health care tics of my district. All of the GOP Freshmen in '63, where would we be in the world reform : have listedourrefonns. Forexample. we want standing in terms of free trade? In '73, and to cut committee staffs. and put them in writ­ then in '83, and here we are in '93 again, and ingand arc trying toadvance them. Although we can't just mark time and stand still and there arc 48 of us now. we don't have Ihe clout think that we' re still going 10bc positioned the that we need to really push it through. We're same way economicall y in thc world as we trying to work with the Democratic freshmen, were in previous generations. And he wants "Tort reform bUllhey sold out to the leadership immediately us to freeze while the rest of the world moves and even the media hammered their refonns forward. And I think that just common sense would help us as being vel)'. very watered down. The lead­ and facts and fi gures prove that he's wrong. tremendously in ership told them. "We don 't want any of So he can go and do whatcver he wantson that, this." and they said. " Okay. Can wejust put and that's his privilege, it's a free counlt)'. this country, and some token reforms forward'!" and that's Most studies will confirm that it 's not Ihe what they did. So they sold out. and we didn't border arc.1S or Texas that's going to benefit especially with sell out Our freshman Republica ns arc more most; it's midwcstern companies. Job cre­ health care. vocal and strong-willed than any group in ation hasalreadybcgun on the West Coast. the Washington. So we hope we can continue East Coast, New England and the Midwest. so Most will agree rattling cages. cvet)'one in the country shares equally on this. that will drive FORUM: What is your perception of There arc many companics that have moved to Perot and his constituency? Mexico that would have had to fold if they costs down 30 to BONILLA: WcJl. Perot understands how hadn't moved. so at least they go into Mexico. to communicate with the media. The media Wc can '( be concerned about everything 40 percent just sal ivatesover his appearances and sound bites, Mexican operations do, wecan 't beconcerned like that. I don't so he knows how to take advantage of them. about whatever China docs. or Ko rea, or any­ FORUM: Well, he hascomeoutandhe body docs with their workers. So in many understand why has scared people to death on the North cases thcse companies would not be manufac­ this isn't being American Free Trade A~reement turing goods, sending them back here, which (NAFTA). South Texas will really benefit creates jobs for countless numbers of people: discussed more. from the passage ofNAFTA, but e,'en Con­ we wouldn't have that ifit wasn't for compa­ gressman Kolbe of Arizona ishavingdoubts nies willing 10 be more fl exible with Mexico. of whether it will pass, What arc you saying FORUM: Are there any federal pro­ to ~rour col leagues on both sides of the aisle grams which show themselves to be benefi­ to encourage support for NAFTA? And cial in improving health care in rural areas what do you feel the President must do to like )'our district? And secondly. what do make sure he docsn't lose the Republican you hope to see in the new health care ,·otes he may ha,'e today? package that could imllro"e access in this BONILLA: Perot is mi sguided on this. community? As I have said before, he is ri ght on a lot of BON ILLA : WcJl, my area is unique. I issues. and that's why he gets the kind of think what we need in health care is ton reaction he docs fro m the general public. but reform, and I'm not hea ring that as much out on NAFTA he'sdend wrong. Anyone who's ofthe secret negotiations that Hillat)' has been done any research on the increascoffree tra de holding. Tort reform would help us tremen­ or increased trade with Mexico has secn that dously in this country, and especiall y with it will be a job creator. I don't understand health care. Most wi ll agree that will drivc where he gets his facls. He's apparently a costs down 30 to 40 percent just li ke that. I

Augllsl/993 17 Bonilla moves beyond Haley Barbour is doing to promotc thc " big tent" theory? BONILLA: J think Haley Barbour is ri ght on target in stereotypes trying to creatc the " big tent " theory , t havc not had thc privilegc or mccting him personally, although I have hea rd don't understand why this isn' t being discussed more. hi m spc.1k, and as Republicans wc need to look at what we ha\'e I also think we need to empower people more to be in common. If you go to church and you have 10 command­ responsible for health care. If we continue to tie business to ments or 10 philosophies that guide you, you don' t throw out this, it 's going to gel worse. We didn't tie life insurance to your members just because you havc a difference of opinion on employment benefi lS, we didn '( lie auto insurance to employ­ one or two issues, you stil l work together and :),ou go to church ment benefits, and those, although they're costly. have not every Sunday. Likewise here. we shouldn't let one or two reached the crisis proportion that they have with medical issues divide us because if we do, the liberals. the liberal benefits. So we need to get it oIT of busincss' back. They got Democrats, arc going to be laughing at us in future years into this in the beginning bcc.1USC they wanted to attract because they' re going to laugh at how divisive we arc. We' re employees, and it becomes morc of an incentive. but it was going 10 become more li ke them, and I think that would be a never meant to solve the country 's health problems. disasler. So we need 10 move morc toa private system where people So I' m thrilled that Halcy Barbour - and al so Rich Bond, understand what they're paying fo r. That way they' re better whojustlefi the RNC, was very strong about his advice. and shoppers. Americans arc the worst shoppers for health care. I've said that myself on a couple of occasions before Rcpubli­ We spend more time shopping forvideotapcsand newcars and can groups. Let's look at what links us together and work mobile phones than we do for the best price for hospitals, and together because otherwise we're going to have someonc we need to cut that out. I've been guilty myself. continuing to be in the Whi tc Houscand people continuing 10 So ton refonn and empowcring people, weaning them ofT win elections that arc much more socialist oriented. ofbusincss carrying the ball would be tremendous. Stand.1rd­ We believc, fi rst of all. in terms of where they work, we izing health care fonns. And beyond that. people who are are always the fri cndsofsmall business. weare always fi ghting poor, I absolutcly thi nk that \\'Cought to provide them vouchcrs for less regulation. Thc liberal Democrats are always fighting or tax credits to buy their own health care insurance. But. sti ll, for more regulati on. We're constantly fighting bureaucracies. they have to be responsible for being good shoppers and being We feci like the middle class working people, which I was for good consumers because that's the only way you drive prices most of the years of my life, should be able to kccp as much down. money as possible and that the strcngth of our country comes FORUM: Arc there any specific u rban de\'clopment from pcnnanent private sector jobs. We don' t believc that. as pro ~ ra m s that you think are going to bc key down in thc a good man from Californ ia asked thc Prcsident the other day, Southwe~1 ? Arc there any sort orJ)rograms thatyou think, that we can tax and spend ourselves into prosperi ty. besides NA FTA, that would improvc those areas? So the more we allow the frce enterprise system to work, BONILLA: I generally believe that the frcc market and and the capitalistic system, the better ofT working people are private enterprise should be left to guide improvingconditions goi ng to be. So we ' rcconstantly fi ghting to lower their taxes. versus government programs. we're constantly fi ghting to create less regulation and burc.1u­ FORUM: W hat is your impression or the Republican cra cy and paperwork for thei r employers, so they can be more National Committee and what do you belie\'c Chairman producti ve, get higher wagers, and create more jobs. R

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18 The RIPON FORUM Justice Make No Law Supreme Court justices should be less interested in special interest group appeals and more interested in interpreting the law. by Kris Kobach

When President Clinton finally selected leaders have seriously distorted view of expecting lustices to objectively inter· Ruth Bader Ginsburg to replace Byron the Supreme Court' s rolc in our pol ilica I prel and apply the Constitution, many White on the Supre me Court. the an­ system. politicians want their fayorile to a mend nouncement sounded strangely like a Such statements reinforce a n in­ the Constitution. Justices arc not as­ political nomination for a Cabinet post. sidious and growing misconception in sessed on the basis of their intellect and Clinton hailed Judge Ginsburg as a America today - that the Supreme Court objectivity. bul acrording to what their champion of the women's ri ghts move­ Justices a rc merely poli ticians with predicted decisions will be. Revisiting ment and asucccssful political crusader robes: political hacks who bring a n thcfundamcntallawofthc United States for a noble causc. The national media agenda wim them to the Court and lobby is reduced to a simple vole of ninc quickly ran a political " litmus test" on their fellow Justi ces accordingly. This people: gel fi ve on your side and you Ginsburg attempting to nail down her sentiment is shared by some mcmbcrsof win. By playing fast and loose with the positions on various controversial is­ the Senate Judiciary Committee and meanings and by ignoring others, the sues. Was the President li ving up to his was dramatically illustrated in the po­ Justices C<1 n transform the Constitution campaign promise 10 appoint someone liticized attack on Robert Bork in 1987. without any forma l amendment ever with ' 'an e .... p.1nsive view of the Consti­ Misconceiving the Supreme Court as a laking place. tution and the Bill of Rights, somcone super legislature which generales pseudo Meanwhile. Article V of the Con­ who believes in the constitutional ri ght statutes to override acts of Congress, stitution. which stipulatcs howthc docu­ to privacyT ' Would Ginsburg oppose they vi Iified the judge for holdi ng pol it i­ ment is supposed to be amended. is Bowers \'5. Hardwick and support the cal ly incorrect views. This attitude per­ abandoned . Article V requires any constitutiona I protection o fho mo se~:ua I sisted in the confinnation hea rings of ame ndment proposed by Congress to be activity? Kate Michelman, prcsident of Anthony Kennedy, David Souter and ratified by the legislatures or ratifying the National Abortion Rights League. Clarence Thomas. The prospective Jus­ convent ions ofthrcc-fourths of the state expressed misgivings: " Her criticism ticcswereasked, ineO"ocl. " What consti­ (a "super majority.") Unfortunately, of Roc \', Wade is cause for concern. tutional " ri ghts" will you create or many politicians a nd interest groups We look forward to a thorough Senate repeal for us when you get on the Court?" would rather not go to the trouble of Judiciary Committee hearing to deter­ Nodoubl. the American public will persuading the people of 38 states to mine whether Judge Ginsburg will pro­ hear more ofthe sa me in the Ginsburg adopt their amendment whe n aU they tect a woman's fundamental ri ght to confinnation hearings. It is high time need isa few more votes on the Supreme privacy." President Clinton labelled weconsiderthepitfalls inherent in "iew­ Court . Ginsburg a " centrist," acceptable to ing the Court this way. This is not a new phe nomenon. It politieiansofboth the Left and the Right. This approach to judicial appoint­ bcganin the I 93Qs whcn Franklin Delano All this rhetoric suggested something ments weakens the very foundation of Roosevelt sought a way to overcome the vel)' disturbing - many of our nation's constitutional democracy. Rather than problem that much of hi s New Deal

AngulI 1993 19 legislation was unconstitu· vants, not their rulers. The tional. The Supreme Court role of the Supreme Court is struck dO\\1lthe National In· to be the ultimatc judge of dustrial Reeovery Act of when such political bodies 1932, the Agricultural Ad· overstep their powers and justment Act of 1934, the If Justices are appointed with the threaten the ri ghts of the R.1i lro.1d Retirement Act of people or thestrueturc of the 1934, the Bituminous Coal expectation that they will transform the political S)'stcm. But who is Conservation Act of 1935, to guard liS frolll our guard­ and the lower federal cou rts Constitution , then th e Constitution ians? The Justices of the issued hundreds of injunc· Supreme Court are unclccted. tions against other New Deal ceases to be an expression of "We the unaccountable. life-tenured programs. Thc Constitution individuals with the capacity limited the powcrs grantcd People of the United States. " the wi ll ofe lcctcd majorities. to Congress. and these acts The only answer is that the overstcpped the boundaries Justices must regard them­ of Congressional authority. selvcs as bound by the Con­ Roosevelt faced a choice: ei· lo.1d. bUlthe duplicitous cal· to privatc individ uals. Wash­ stitution. That means being ther give up the idea of a culation was obvious: the ington assumed the power to bound by the plain meaning national regulatory welfa re President would get the op-­ rcgulatee\'cn the most trivial of the various clauses and state or amend the Conslitu· portunity to appoint six new, minutiae of economie activ· amendments at the time of tion. He opted for the latter S)'mp.:1thelic Justices imme­ itl'. Thistrnnsfonnationwas ratification, not being frcc to course. but was unwilling to diately. and 5 to 4 decisions more drastic th.1n a ny of the add new meaning whenever subject his proposals to the against the New Deal would fonnal a mendments to the they sec fit. As obvious as scrutiny and deliberation presumably have gone 10 to Consti tution, with the pos­ this may sound, it bears re­ Slipulated by Artielc V. As 5 the other way. Although sible excepti on of the 13th pe..1ting; for many legal Aca­ he admitted in his fireside the Senate Judicial)' rccog­ and 14th Amendments. Con­ demes have lost sight of this chat of March 1937. he re· nil.ed Roosevelt's scheme to stitutional scholar Bruce fundamental principle. and garded the fonnal amend· be an " utterly dangerous Ackerman goes so far as to many in the poli tical realm ment process as a n opportu· abandonment of constitu· argue that the post 1937 would prefer to bury it. nity for his enemies tostall or tiona I principl e" and re· changes ushered in a " new If Justices arc appointed defeat his che rished pro­ jectcd it, the Grim Reaper constitutional regime." Ever wit h the expecta tion that they grams. In other words, he and the attractions of retire­ since then it hasbccn plainly will tra nsform the Constitu­ fea red he might lose the ment lent the Prcsidcnt a obvious that changing the tion, then the Constitution g.1me. hand. Within four years. he Consti tution is possible with­ cc.1seS to be a n expression of So hcchangcd the rolcs. was able to appoint seven out fonnallyamending it; one " We the Pcopleofthe United Hc would amend the consti­ new Justicestolhehigh court, merely has to appoint Su­ Slates." Instead. it becomes tution without actua lly all of whom were willing to prcme Court personnel will­ the authority by which nine changing a word in thedocu­ modify the Constitution for ing to do the job. unelccted individuals rule a ment. Launching his infa­ the President. Why docs it matter if nation of 260 million. In mous Court packing plan of Theyear 1937andafter. there is another way of relinquishing our control 1937, he proposcdthat when immediately saw a revolu­ amending the Constitution? over the content ofthe Con­ any Justice rc.1ehed the age tion in the American politi­ Because it matt ers a great stitution. we sell the nation's of 70 and did not retire, the cal system. The new Justices deal who docs the amend­ soul fo r a panicular decision President should have the turned the Commerce Clause ing. The Constitution grants which appears all important power to appoint another of Article I into an all en­ the authority to make policy in the drama onhe moment. Justice to serve alongside the comp.:1ssing license for fed­ to office holders who are pe­ It is not the highcourt's func­ elderly members ofthc Coun . eral regulation. Where pre­ riodically held accountable tion todo an end mn around Roosevelt couched the viously a wide array of eco­ fortheirdecisions. Elections Article V and amend the scheme in tenns of helping nomic and industrial deci­ ensure that such representa­ Constitution at the behest of the Court cope with its work- sions were left lothe states or tivcs remain the people's ser- the p.:1rty in power. Only a

20 The RIPON FORUM super majorityofthe Ameri· preme Court has no business kind of social consensus." can people or their agents representing anyone. They If constitutional protec­ can legitimately change the arc there loapply the Consti· tion is sought for a freedom fundamental law of the land. tution objectively, not to which receives ambiguous So what docs all of this shape it according to the de­ treatment in the text of the mean for the upcoming con· mands of vari ous social Consti tution (as is undeni­ firmation hearings? First. it groups. ably the ease with abortion), means that Clinton must re· Fourth and finally, in­ then bolh sides need 10 take frain from defending Judge terest groups who seek con­ their ease to the pcople of QUANTUM Ginsburg on the basis of lit· stitutional protection fortheir Americaand seck an amend· mus test issues like abortion. causes must stop marching POLITICS ment in accordance wilh GrunilJg StUff Lrgi5futu r~J This approach only rein· in frontofthe Supreme Court Article V. Of course, it is fQr lIN N rw Atiffmniu", forces the misconception of building or outside Senate much easier 10 demand that by the Supreme Court as a body Confirmation hearings. By the Justiccsdo the amending William R. Bryam!Jr. .IIi,hig"" 1f."" .fH. ~prt# ,,'atJ<'" (l!l7()-.-j entitled to mold the Consti· asking the Court 10 consider instead. But for any prin· Ktp"bli~a" L~"J.. Em ~n'tuJ tution as it sees fit. Ironi· their views, they tempt Jus· ciple to gain the privilege of "!nsighr. an: as applicable in the Minne"'ta cally, Ginsburg's own state· tices to abuse their authority. being deemed a Constitu­ os in Mi

Augllst 1993 21 U.N. Must Be Assertive

Suller Continued from page 5 maintained at taxpayers' expense around thewortd. However, merely whets thei r appetites to expand their conquests furthcr. not onl y the United States, Canada. and other NATOcountri es The other lesson is that the United Nations, which was sct up (including Turkey), but also the Scandinavian countries. " to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." Russia, Ukraine. Pakistan, Indonesia. Brazil. Nigeria. etc. , could suffer the same fate as the League, unless it is trans­ should all be encouraged to provide contingents. The military formed into an effective institution to overwhelm the war offi cers in charge of the U.N. peacc·making forces should be makers. free from the whi ms of individual autocrats. selected for thei r abi lity, notthci r nationali ty, and they and their troops should represent fi rst of all the United Nations. ATIME FOR UNIFIED ACTION In addition to tightening the nava l blockade of the Danube It 's time to call the bluff of the bullies who thrive on and other regions under Serb ian control, Miloscvic. Kamdzic, attacking the inhabitants of smaller and weaker nations. It 's and thei r generals should be given an ul timatum to SlOP time to stop the Chambcrlainian policy of appeasing the lighting and Jay down their arms. or else aircraft under U.N. aggressor by endlessly negotiating unenfo rced cease-fi res and command would commence bombing the bases of Serb light· repeatedly announcing consideration of vague peace options ers in Bosnia and strategic targets in Serbia. These should to be implemented some time in the distant future. It 's time include nol only artillery batteries and other militar), sites in to stop dealing with Milosevie (who started these bloody the lield. but also munitions factories. air and river pons, rail adventures). Radovan Karadzie(the Scrbproconsul in Bosnia), centers. and key bridges. To keep casualties of civilians 10 a and ot her Serb hard liners who have part icipated in sham minimum. as well as to induce them to have second thoughts peace negot iations while continuing the genocide. The Uni ted aoout supporting thei r jingoistic leaders. announcements of Nations, the United States and other nations should recogni ze the bomb attacks should be well publ icized shortly before they neither the regime of Milosevie nor that of Karadzic, and occur (without specifyi ng the ex,1ct times and places). should insist that any fu lUre peace negotiations be only with Unfortunately. it was a charade for military and civilian peace loving Serbs from the democra tic Opposition. leaders of the United States and other NATO countries to At the end of the cold War. allowing aggression by anti­ pretend that only by NATO's p.1trolling the seas and air. could democratic Serb Ic.1 ders ag.1inst thei r neighoors to take place the Serbian mi litary and para-mi litary forces be stopped in and continue year afte r year is a threat not just to the peoples Bosnia. The U.S. Government thcn made a second error and of Europe. but ultimately to Ame ri cans and all other peaee·loving peoples of the world. More­ over, this is not a problem for Europeans or for Americans acting alone to solve. (The U.S. has All countries concerned with ending nei ther the ability nor the authori ty to scrve as the world 's policeman.) This problem, affecting the wars .. . should be persuaded to provide human race. is one for theentire world. Therefore. it should be dea lt with by the peoples of the world armed contingents for peace-enforcement through their globaJ institution. What is needed is a true "global policeman: ' organi7..cd by the by the U.N. , as recommended by United Nations, which must be strengthened and made more effective. All countries concerned Secretary-G eneral Boutros-Ghali in his An with ending wars. but especially the genocide being pcrpctratcdby Milosevic, Karadzic. Voj islav Scsclj (the ul tra-nationalist Serb hard liner), and the Serb generals, should be persuaded to provide armed cOnlingents for peace enforcement by the U.N., as abetted the Serbian aggression from the outset by publicly recommended by Sc<:retary·Gcneral Boutros·Ghali in hisAn ruling out the usc of U.S. ground forces. while suggesting it Agendafor Peace. was up to the Europea ns to providc them. Ground force Mi litary aggression should be countered by superior mili· contingents must come from both the Americans and the tary force. Hundreds ofthousands ofmilitarypersonnel in well Euro pc.1 ns, as well as other countries, as mentioned above. armed units of the U.S. Army and other countries arc being The threm by itself of overw helmi ng United Nations

22 The RIPON FORUM ground fo rces, including American contingents. should cause such as was demonstrated in the American struggle fo r the Serb militarists -- who until now have faced only smaller independence by WaShington. Adams. Franklin,and Jcffcrson. and weaker opponents --to cease their allacks. If the mere threat docs not achieve its objective. U.N. peace-making ground forces should pursue and defeat the aggressors. Meanwhile. the lightly It appears that many Americans are anned British and French ' 'peacekccpers" -- who have not been able to keep the peace and defend the ahead of their leaders in adapting their Bosnian people -- should have been converted into well-anned " peace-makers". The superior U.N. world view to the needs of the world of forces should then be able to pacify and restore order in the slavic countries involved in this war. the 21 st Century and in wanting to help

THE U.N.'S RESPONSIBILITY create an effective world organization Leaders -- civilian as well as military -- who incite. launch andjustif)' military aggression and with enforceable world law and order. genocide should be held individually accountable for their crimes against humanity. Through all fonns of media. the United Nations and countries supporting and during Wo rld War II. by Roosevelt. Yet the absence of a it should make this plain. particularly to those people whose daring call from American leaders today is partly based on the national leaders. agents provocateur and propagandists have fear that the people arc not yet ready. instigated these crimes. The U.N. forces should proceed 10 But in a recent poll by American Talk Issues Fou ndation on arrest the suspected wa r criminals. who should then be tried Stmctures for Global Governance, 82% of 1200 respondents not in some national court but in a pcnnllnent International fe lt that the U.N. should be empowered to arrest persons who Criminal Court. This court must be organized as soon as commit serious international crimes. When specific crimes possible (and not be restricted to trying only suspected Serb, we re mentioned. 78% felt that the U.N. should have the Croat and Muslim Slav. war criminals of the current war). aut hority 10 arrest lawbreakers who invade and occupy other Next, a U.N. Transitional Authority should be set up to take countries, while 83% felt that the U.N. shouldarrcst offenders overthe reins ofgove rnment in not only thevictimizedcounlry responsible for egregious human rights violations incl uding of Bosnia. but also the aggressors' country, Scrbia. Thc making war against groups within their own country. In the UNT A should takeeITcctivecontrol ofthe ministriesofforcign same poll, on the question of attitude towards institutions affairs. defense. public security, infonnation. education, and ncccs5.'1ry forcffcctive international security and law enforce­ finance. and it should recmil qualified professiona ls from ment, 68% favored having a global police force; and 77% a around the world to serve in the interim. As a U.N. led world court. At the 5.'1 me time that 86% felt the U.N. should disannament program is carried out. the UN would begin the be made more effective. 58% were ready for a li mited, restoration of peace. After helping displaced refugees on the democratic world government. spot. it would assist them to return home if they wished. It appears that many Americans are ahead of their leaders Eventually the UN should arrange free and fair elections in adapting their world view to the needs of the ,,'orld of the and referendu ms in Bosnia. Kosovo. Voyvodina. and the rest 21st Century and in wanting to help create an effective world of Serbia to detennine their future as far as possible according organization with enforceable world law and order. In view tothewishesofthe inhabitants. including those still displaced of this. let us American citizens and the Congress get behind abroad (something which was not allowed for Cambodians). our President to promote a world-wide effort to support, I n addition. the European Community should offer other small reform andcmpower the United Nations. enabling it to tackle Slavic states. as well as Slovenia and possibly Croatia. integra­ the situation in the fonner Yugoslavia and to set a prccedent tion into the communityto hclpassurc theirpc.'1ceful economic for the handli ng of " regional conflicts" that may continue to and political fut ure. arise in the future. R

THE U.S. MUST PROVIDE LEADERSHIP While the Serb leaders have tried to carve a Greater Serbia out ofKosovo, Slovenia. Croatia. and Bosnia, the world John 0. Sutter is 1st Vice President of the World Federalist has been waiting fora sign oflcadership from the Americans. Association ofNorthern California.

Augllst 1993 23 Society

llIcre can be little doubt that life in our course. Their assumption is that people will nation is undergoing change. The images of be whatcverpeople " i ll be and one adapts to Nonnan Rockwel lllJ'C held dear but seldom the result. Others draw on religious, moral seen, The aloms of the nuclear family have or social convictions and arc more proacti ,'c, been split. Our highly mobi le society has They seck positions oflcadership in order 10 required us to Ih'e away from our rools in an innucnce the shape of family life. These anonymous atmosphere that docs not en­ latter arc the focus for this article. courage ourdccpcr and better instincts. The One particuiarconccm is forthase who ' X' of Malcolm X stands for the unkno\\l1 Religion ....,o uld use the force orlaw 10 shape the life family of ori gin and may someday be worn oftlie famil y. They argue for pialfonns and by those who losl their roots by forces other policies that would insure their concept of than the slave trade. A divorccrnte above 50 " Family Value." Oflen using the language per cent has changed our standard of mo­ and and the zeal or raith, they purport to hold an nogamy to one of sequential monogamy, absolute truth to which all must adhere. With almost all adults in the work forcc Concern for an image of the nuclear family therc is a family rc\'olution akin to that ofthe begins 10 block compassion or respect for Industrial Rc\'olution when thc famil y Imit Politics: the larger human family. By taking a single camc ofT the farm and learned to deal with issue and declaring it more important than members being " employed outsidc the all other issues, fami ly value zealots claim home." Now that no one is at homc, chi l­ the moral high ground in any discussion. dren arc raised by telcvision with no one Does The apparent goal is to join God in the around to teach re.~ponsibilit y or character pri\'i lcge of creating someth ing in their O\\n de\'e!opmenl. The list ofuscd-to-be's goes image. Finally and logically, they seck the on and on and e\'CI)'OTle has their fa vorite force of law to ensure adherence to their imagc of the crumbling family. anyone view. " Family \'alucs" are a rallying cry The problems with such an approach because wc know that families arc impor­ are legion even if one can understand the tant, They arc the chosen glue of the human source of its energy, Family and family community. Wc have rooted both our indi­ oppose \'aluesare intimate partsonife. Theydo not vidual and common life in the soil offamily. respond well to the blunt instnunentsofthc The notion that this soi l is becoming ex­ law, policy and platfonn. These are in­ hausted and no longer capable of sustaining tended for the broad strokes of our wciety. us is frightening. Qut of moral conviction or this They apply to all peoplent all times. Family concerns for consequences, many want to do life and family values do nol. Thomas something, Indh'iduals struggle to hold Jefferson who designed the separation of their own cluster together or to find con­ Church and State knew that the integrity of structi ve alternatives to its absence. People marriage? the state remained dependent upon values come to the church this writer serves looking such as honesty, integrity, and responsibit­ more for a fam ily than for God. In addition, itythat arc generated by religion. Hedid not schools struggle to teach the parenting and sec the Stale as Ole developer of such intri- social skills families used to teach. Busi­ cate motivations. nesses provide d.1ycare centers forworkcrs. Victor Hugo pointed to the slow and Courts gmpple with the violence and abuse delicate natureof character fonnation when of dys functional families. Hospitals must by Frank Wade he said that reform must begin with one's draft and redraft policics on health care grandmother. Law is not the way todc\'c1op decisions as the reality of absent rclati\'cs our natural character because law must ap­ becomes more frequent. Government ply to alt peoplc at all times. There is no reaches furthcr into abandoned family turf single way to be moral nor any national with rules about prenatal care, child care, approach to responsibility. Family fonns schools and nursing homes. and \'alues are not fixed but vary from time Those who seck only to foltow the to time, place to place and fam ily to famil y, trends of our society and live off its glean­ A sexuall y responsible homosexual person ings commission pol ls to find out where the nc..."'(!s more than "abstinence" to make center is and position themsclves for the sense of his or her life. The single parent best pickings. These marketers and politi­ cannot find meaning when thought of as an cians are content to let the changes take their incomplete couple. " Just say no" is weak

24 The RIPON FORUM competition to the appeal ofdrugs and larger In the long nul. truth docs not need to prisons are even less effective. be propped up by law. If the values we Does onc then abandon the effort to proclaim arepartoftruth, theywill stand on influence values and join those: who would their o\.\n. Many of our compatriots forget let nature take its coune? Let us hope not. that point and apparently feci compelled to The intimacies of family life and va l· make truth real by force. There arc: Chris-­ ues respond best to the subtler instruments tians who have lost the distinction between ofsociety . Values arenot formed by law but evangelism which is proclaiming the truth by cxample, by teaching and by the consis-­ and imperialism which is conquering in the tent presentation ofcultura l norms. ChurclK.'S name of one's own point of view. All that have traditionally played a key role in this truth needs is to be told, modeled, experi­ enterprise, but arc rapidly losing access to enced, and retold. Tmth about ollr lives and There are Christians the breadth oftlle populat ion. Our cultural our closest relationships is an intimate and norms are now shaped by television, adver­ even delicate thing. It is not .... 'CII conveyed who have lost the tising and the press. Those concemedabout with broadsides nor well planted with ex­ family and values can tum their attention to cessive fOr<::e . distinction between these: media. Reminding the heads of net­ The family is changing and our value., \.\'Orks, agencies and newsorganizations that seem to be changing as well. Onecan shrug they arc in fact the molders and shapers of and wait for the dust to elear in order to evangelism which is value and {;hamctcr in this nation no matter disco\'er what we have become. One can how firmly they see themselves as mere rush at the \1.'Orld \.\ith broadsword and axe proclaiming the truth reportCfS and reflectors would be a good in order to save some trndition in distress. starting place. Time magll1jne recently Or one can reach for subtler instruments of and imperialism reported that 15 to 18 percent oftecnsreJy society and work to be the tC3chen; of val­ on "entertainment" to teach them about ues, the modelen; ofbehavior, and the defin­ which is conquering sex. That is not only a lot of young people, en; of our cultural norms. The new pUlpit it ismorethan participate in the life ora faith and classroom is the television set. R in the name of one's community. Influencing a fewadveniscrs will have more effect on our society than a Dr. Frank Wade is the Rector of dozen legal restri{;tions. St.Alban 'sChurch in Washington, D.C. own point of view.

\'l\l1\T'S "DI5CRETKltf?

AI/ gusl 1993 25 New Law Would Give Challengers A Fighting Chance

Cobol Continued f rom page 13

Common Causc ran an intensive cam­ The national vice-chairman of the Reformers at the beginning of this paign to press congressional ca ndidates Republican Mainstream Committee, century fought to curb the power of to eommillhemselvcs 10 the basic prin­ John Buchanan Jr .• a former Republi­ corrupt political machincswhichdomi­ ciples of campaign finance reform, in­ can Member of Congress from Ala­ na ted the politics of that era. Today. cluding spending caps. limits on PACs. bama. endorsed a bill last yea r that was incumbents and party officials of bOlh and public resources for ca ndidates. A si milar to President Clinton's campaign major part ies have forged bonds with majority of Republican challengers for finance reform proposal. Mr. Buchanan special interest groups who want some­ the House endorsed these principles. wrote: thing from government. Republicans Thcy did so. I assume, because they we re ~Ca mpai gn finance reform is es­ must fi ght to eurb the power of these forced to cope directly with the unfai r­ sential to revcrse the public's percep­ new machines for the same reason that ness of this current system. lion that ICongressl has fa llen to the refomlcrs of an ea rl ier era opposed the Is it consistent with Republican wolves of special interests and corrup­ old machines. Bccauscspecial interests principles to give public money to can­ tion .... In the I I years since I left shouldn 't be able to usc big money to didates? Since public funding for cJec­ Congress. I've watched at a distance as ha ve a special claim on government. tions began, every Republican candi­ public rcspect forthe institution I served When the Ri pon Society was date for president except John Connall y fai thfully has plummeted. The nation founded. thei r members were among (a lapsed Democrat) has apparently has lookcd onin fmstrationat Congress's the leaders in the fi ght to end racial thought so. for each has accepted public inability to grapple with the budget defi­ discrimination. Now once aga in mod­ funds for hi s own campaigns. These cit. (he savings and loans crisis. health eratcs must help lead the fi ght to revital­ C:1 ndidates include George Bush. who care, and other pressing issues . ... Our ize our democratic process. R took more than SI25 million. and Sena­ S)'slem needs reforms that will level the tor Dole. who accepted S8 million. playing fi eld fo r challengers." Ned Cabot is Choir ojCol1ll1lon COllse. Robson says ··We cannot tax our way to

prosperity. II

Robson conlinued from page 9

We still have yet to mention the two matters. never havi ng held a privatc and have forced thc Clinton Adminis­ mammoth " wild cards" in the Clinto n sector job. tration to regroup on the design of the program that will have a potentially Indeed. Mr. Clinton has missed a proposed economic program. damaging effect on economic gro\\1h, unique opport unity to deliver to the The reason for this rebellion against jobs. and deficit reduction. Thcscare.of Ameri can people a trul y tough deficit thc Clinton economic plan is the recog­ course. whatever energy lax emerges rcductionlpro-cconomic growth pack­ nition by Senators that this nalion is not from the legislative process and Hillary age that relics on spending cuts, not new underta xed - it is o,rcrspcnl. And they Clinton's hcallh care reform package. taxes. and features broad incentives for sense that the American people arc seri­ Overall . it is not unfair to character­ saving and inveslmentlikecapilal gains ous about addressing the problem. R ize Mr. Clinton's proposed economic tax reduction. plan as a program crafted with a focus We might yct be rescued from this John Robson is a visiting Fellow at the on politics rather than economics. But fl awed economic plan by - surprisingly Heritage Foundation. He served os I suppose this is not so surprising fo r a cnough - Congress. p..1rticularly the DepllZV Secrelary oft he Treasury in the Presidcnt who has a limited frame of Senate. Already they have killed off Bush Administration and was CEO ofa reference on economic and business Clinton's wasteful ' 'sti mulus package" For/line 500 corporation.

26 The RIPON FORUM The Lighter Side

AI/gllst 1993 27 Health Care Extending Universal Coverage : American Reform in Japanese Perspective by Scott A. Kupor and AId Yoshikawa

As any international comparison bears out. no other indus- diffusion of information across insurance societies. triali7.cd country spends morc money on hea lth care than the As it exists today, the Japanese insurance system is com- U.S,: nor docs any other country share the dubious distinction posed ofthrcc main sections. each administered individua lly. of railing to provide adequate coverage for over 14 percent of Society managed health insurance (Kumiai)oovcrs workcrsat the population. Japan is no different than any other industri- large firms, govern ment managed health insurance (Scikan) alizcd nationbarthc Unilcd Slatcs.spcndingonlyS l42biliion covers people at small and medium sized firms. and the ror health care in 1990.just over6 percent ornational income. National Health Insurance System (Kokuho) covers the self Not onl y has Japan achieved success in cost containment. but employed, retirees. and workers at the smallest compa nics. it cominues to provide universal coverage to its 123 million Although each or these systems covers a JXlPulation with residents through a combination or employment and munici- unique socioeconomic. demographic. and gcographiccharac- pality based health insurance plans. While the system is not teri stics. the insurance system as a whole provides effici ent withoutitspitfalls.thcJapa- ;------;..------...~ a nd eq uitable coverage nese health care system through systematic cross sub- wackswcll, Asthe Ameri- The Japanese have created a system sidizalion across insumnce ean public awaits the societies. Excess premiums Clinton Admin istration's of uniform benefits, in come-based collccted by the financially h ~1lthcarcrcfonnpackagc, prem ium s, govern me nt subs idization, sound insurance societi es we should consider two Im- (mainly large companies' portant lessons from the and cost shifti ng in an overall plan that Kumiai) arc redistributed to Japanese system. Incorpo- b' h Ihe financially weaker sys- rating the Japanese expcri- com Ines t e strengths of em ployer- terns, such as Kokuho and enecsintoourdecision mak- based ins urance coverage with an thescp.1rately funded system ing process can help JXllicy ror the elderly. In a sense, makers avoidthe mistakes effi cient and equitable allocation of this systematic mechanism or the past whi le planning orredirecting surplus premi- ror the ruture. resources. urns rrom the we.'llthy 10 the First. the Japanese expc- poor has replaced the ineffi- rience has shown that scg- cient. haphazard practice by mentation or health insurance coverage can work. When the which U.S. hospital costs shin 10 paying patients in order to JapancseMinistryorHcalthand Welrare(Koseisho)instituted shore up financial loses incurred rrom treating Medicare. universal coverage in J96 I. thcyutilizcd an extant inrrastrue- Medicaid and uninsured patiems. Hence. the Japanese have ture created by various occupational groups. These insurance cre.1ted a system or unirorm benefits. income based premiums, societies. organized around proressional or trade groups, had government subsidization, and cost shiRi ng inanoverall plan been rorming gradually since the 1920s. After World War" fh at combines the strengths or employer based insurance decimated the Japancsc medical inrrastructure. Koscishoehosc coverage with an efficient and equitable allocation or re- to revita lize the rramework orthe original insurance system. sources. overlaying unirorm rules (I.e. co-payment obligations and In light or this. the Clinlon He.1lth Ca re Task Force's benefit packages) on these private insuraneegroupsandereate intention to allow large companies to opt Oul orthe HPICs ca n a St'lrety net ror those without coverage. This group by group wo rk ir carerully thought oul. The experience orthe Japanese scgmcntation-indcpc:ndcntlyadministercd insuranccschcmcs government has led thcm 10 appreciate the need to spread organi zed by employer or trade group - coupled with ronnal, more evenly the burdens or health ca re across all p.1yers. It is ovcrarching regulations has provided a mechanism ror the clear Ihat effici encies or sca le and scope can be achiC\'ed by efficient collection or premium contributions and the smooth allowing large companics to negotiate their own health care

28 The RIPON FORUM arrangements, but equity in the delivery of care and the futu re well to push down control of reform initiatives to local solvency of the U.S. government demand that somedegrce of community leaders. As the Japanese have recognized, restor- income redistribution from the wealthier to the poorer groups ing the confidence of local physicians (who have felt largely occur. The Japanese have shown that market segmentation left out of reform discussions) and oflocalleaders (who have and decentralized management of insurance societies can be felt helpless in thewakeofincreasing financial burdens on the not only effi cient. but also dislribulionally just. coun ty health care systems) is essential to the successful The second major lesson to be learned involves the orga- implementa ti on of health care reform. Theadministration of nization of insurance coverage at the municipal Icvel. Asboth a rcccmly passed managed competition bill by Governor the U.S. and Japan have recognized. co llecting premiums and Chiles (0) of Florida which creates II regional purchasing pro\1ding insurance coverage for employees of large compa- groups can also benefit from attention to Japan 's utilization of nies is logistically straight forward. Providing for the self- municipality leadership 10 exlend hcalth care coverage. Local employed. however, proves ,------______.. autonomy also allows for the more difficult because the integration of public health administrativeefficicnccsof initiatives and the normal scale and scope that arc delivery of care in a way that available to big businesses caterstothespccific necdsof arc largely absent. Recog- a specific population. With nizingthese limit3tions, the the increasing emphasis on Japanese undertook a sys- prevention in American temalic strategy to gradu- medical care, the ability to ally expand the classes of harmonizcpublic health and persons covered under the education with the delivery Kokuho insurance system. of primary care can also be In its effort s to establish facilitated by the local ad- universal coveragc in 1958, ministration and financing the Japanese governmenl of care. made c.1c h mu nicipa l gov- With emotions and ex- emment responsible for the pcctations running high in organization and management of its own Kokuho insurance the wake of impending reform, the need to maintain a clear socicty. This decision was largely arrived at out of political sense of objectivity remains equally great. The Japanese e;\:pediency and the desire to restore physician confidence in experience provides us with an opportunity 10 evaluate the the system by giving localleadersdircct control. In retrospect. implementation and potential effectiveness of tried and true howcvcr. thedecision to invest local leaders with responsibil- fina ncing and delivery mechanisms before we venture into ity fo r their constituents allowcd for the gradual insurance unchancd waters. We should seize the opportunity to learn coverage of all Japanese citizens as well as the creation of from the experience of others in order to develop the most regionallytailorcd insurance schemes. Approximately 3.200 efficient and equitable health care system in the world: Kokuho societies exist today, covering in excess of 43 million infonnation remains our most valuable commodity. R Japanese. Prcmiumsarecollected mainly in the fonn ofa local household tax. while additional funding is pr0\1ded by the government and by cross subsidization from the wealthier employee societies. ScOIl A. Kupor, A.B andAki Yoshikawa. Ph.D. are both At a time when Americ.1n distrust of govern ment has from Stanford UniverSity's Comparitive Health Care Policy reached an apex. the Clinton Health Care Task Force could do Research Project at the Asia/Pacific Research Center.

A I/ gust 1993 29 Humor it " look like New York" where over 100 nationalities are represented. What about the hundreds ofthOU5.1nds of home· less people? And the millions of poor people? There arc even some Republicans. In both groups. Will they be represented White House Follies in the government? Referring to one of Ri chard Nixon's least memorable Supreme Court nominees, the latc Nebraska Sena­ by Harry Phillips tor Ro man Hruska once re marked that ' 'even mediocre people deserve representation" on the Supreme Court. Should Thc Clinton Administration's tortoise like progress in ovcmcight people be included in the EGG? How about short filling thousands ofsubeabinet level positions makes it likely people? And because most Americans who arc eligible to vote that many oflhese positions will remain unfilled during the do n't and thus arc the largest single chunk of the electorate, current millennium. As with any presidency, many factors arc what about placingan apathcticpcrson in charge ofsomething considered in the process oftuming perfectly good \X!Ople into in Washington? I say it can't hurt! Where does one draw the government bureaucrats. line? As editorialized in u.s. News and World Report, the There are pressures to give jobs to politicians who want to problem with a hiring po licy which resembles a Chinese menu bring 10 the federal govemment the same skills and talents (One from Ethnic Column A, another from Gender Column B, which have eaused Congress to function so smoothly. There etc.) is that it promotes diversity for diversity's sake and to the are candidates for jobs whose names arc floated li ke balloons perceived e.."I:elusion ofa person's skills and talents. Thus, in the event someone somewhere has some din on them after nominees could be robbed of the credit they deserve if they are which they areallowed to twist in Ihewind for awhile because worthy of their jobs and become judged, to paraphrase the watching people squinn in public is a favorite activity in famousquoteby Dr. Martin Luthcr King, " bythecolorofthcir Washington . And there are the campaign workerbces who skin " instc.1d of " the content of their character."' What made it all possible and whose fi rst jobs upon arriving in should rea lly count arc the policies the administration will Washington wi ll probably be as food servers at Gi no's Pizzeria pursue to help those who have been disenfranch ised and while they wait for THE CALL. forgotten and abused. R But if you arc a genuine FOB (Friend of Bill) or FOH (Friend of Hillary), you can pretty much punch your own TOP 10 PERKS Of LIVING IN THE WHITE HOUSE ticket. Being a OEM is considered mandalory. And it doesn 't hurt to be a VRP (Very Rich Person) who had the fo resight to \0 Exit out of Arkansas and live rent frcc for at least four years. make a si7..ahle campaign contribution back in those dark and gloomy days when the odds ofBill Cli nton becoming president 9.Sign executive order forc ing McDornlld's to deliver. were about as promising as Bamey the Dinosaur's (actually, if kids could vote, we would now be calling him President 8.Tum Bush's horseshoe pit into giant bird fceder. Dinosaur). Even Ni."I:on would have gotten better odds from 7.Lct Socks run wi ld and enjoy watching Secret Service agcnts fall the Vegas bookmakers. all over themselves trying to corral her. But the most important prerequisite for a govemment position in this administration is to mcct the EGG diversity 6. Yell " Look at all those poor suckers" while fi ying overdO\\11town criteria. EGG is Washington-speak for somcone who can Washington traffic jams in presidential helicopter. provide the ethnic, gender, and gcographic (EGG) balance necessary to crcatea govemment which " looks like America." 5.Make Yellsin more nervous by calling him on the hot line in the Much of the appointment process is proceeding in "slow­ middle of the night, saying ,"Sorry, wTong munbcr." mo " because of the President's and First Lady's reponed desire to personally review the credentials of nominees for top 4.invite Ozark Mountain Boys Precision Washbo'l.rd Drill Team to government positions. Lengthy background investigations next state dinner. arc neeessary because apparently no one pays Social Security 3.Drop water balloons from thi rd floor window on vi siting Republi­ taxes on the 'illegal aliens they hire these days. And let's face can congressmen. it. Clinton did have about a jillion people to appoint (as opposed to George Bush who simply kept on most of the 2.Convincc Christophe to discOlmt $200 haircuts in exchange for Reaganites when he arrived in 1988 and we all know how naming the presidential coiffUre, " The Christie" , and making it the pivotal the\' were in his reelection campaign). But most ofthe national haircut . gridlock has been caused by the EGG Rule. President Clinton has emba rked on a laudable quest to I.As an unsuspecting nation looks on, wear polka dot jogging shorts while silting behind desk in Oval O!1iee during next create a govemment which reflects the diversity of the melting televised address to nation. pot we call America and the fact that more than half of the population is female. However, it's doubtful hecan even make Harry Phillips is a Washing/on-based writer.

30 The RIPON FORUM ~ I WASHINGTON NOTES & QUOTES I ~

BILL'S SCORCHED EARTli POLICY TAKING ON TliE TAXMAN LAST ACTION HERO Bill and Hillary Clinton like to Moderate Republican Christine WNQ'spolitical favorite thi s month party. They hosted Bill's 25th college Todd Whitman has beaten b.1ck rival is Sen. John Chafee CR - RI) for spear­ reunion at the White House, have Cn\Cf­ GOP challengers and has positioned heading the new health care refonn pro­ tained friends, media personal ities. herself to take on Democrat New Jersey posal that 23 Republican senators have Washington insiders. and hundreds of Go,'crnor, Jim ""11 lax you till you helped develop including Senate Mi­ Hollywood notables since taking resi­ drop" Florio, Light on taxes and heavy norilY Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan). The dence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in on to lerance. Whitman is running a cam­ package is said to be the Republicans' late January. They even had a massive paign that is strikingly familiar to her substantive effon that could effectively tent erected over the South Lawn so that ncar upset victory over popular two tenn rival the President's plan due for release the could sociali ze outside and latc into Senator, Bill Bradley. Florio. how­ at the end ofScptember. Although con­ the evening. Well. the Clinton's cntef­ ever, docs not have a NBA champion­ servative critics have labeled the Chafcc tainment bill will apparently end up ship ring to pull him through a tight proposal "Clinton 11. " Chafee's new "costing the taxpayers a pretty penny." politica l contest. Hisadministration has plan is onl y similar in that it relics on according to The Washington Post. It imposed some of the highest tax in­ pooling consumer purchasing power to seems that for the 20 days that the tent creases in New Jersey histol)'. Seeing negotiate improved, private. and com­ slood. the lack of sunshine and thou­ lillie bang for thei r new tax bucks from petitive health plans. The Chafcc plan sands of feel that trampled the grass a Democrat Governor and a Democrat differs from the Democrat's in theamount killed the lawn. The South Lawn oflhc controlled legislative branch. New ler­ of government involvement needed for White House must be completely sey voters in 199 1 put Republican legis­ regulation. "Clearly this would have a resodded. WNQ wants to know where lators in firm control of the Assembly serious impact on small business." was AI Gorc when the South Lawn and Senate. In 1993, Florio will have a Chafee told the Washington Post. " I needed him? He was probably boogying difficult time regaining the trust of the don' t think we can afford health care down at the James "I feel good" Brown average New lersey voter. However, reform at the cost of jobs." concen with Tillpcr and AI Sharpton, Christine Todd Whitman must still wage but that's another stOI)'. a tough and aggressive campaign. Re­ GONE PACing Reason Maga;dne's CharlesOlh'cr cent polls show both candidates in a Congresswoman Susan Molinari had an interesting fact 10 Tepon in last statistical dead heat. The "Taxman of and Congressman Dick Zimmer re­ month's issue. The U.S. Dep

Best Bumper on the Beltway Why did Clinton cross the road? To Tax the Chicken!

AIIgIIsI1993 31 In the Mainstream of American Thought ...

In today's world, everyone has an opinion. Be it the right­ wing Republicans or the left-wing Democrats, the voices that are heard seem to come loudest from the fringes of Promises n Reality. Cl,nton'. Flrll100 Da\'i American political thought. The RIPON Not anymore. FO The Ripon Forum seeks to go beyond tmrealistic idealogies and represents a voice for those in the main­ stream of America. Afterall, it's people like you who elect our leaders and are affected by public policies. Whether it's discussion on what's really wrong with the federal government or a di scussion on the realignment of our political system, The Forum has it all. r------, : DYES! Send me The Ripon Forum for tile coming year for only $18! : I (students, people in the military service and Peace Corp volunleers pay only $9) I I Name: I : Address: : I I I City: State: ZIP: I I I I You may FAX your subscription card 10 (202) 547-6560. I I Or mail it 10 The Ripon Forum , 227 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Su ite 20 1 I L ____ Washi.n.g1on...Q.C. 20002 ..... ______..J