I'm Pete du Pont with the National Center for Policy Analysis. Newsweek's "Conventional Wisdom" column, of all places, assessed George W. Bush's impact on American politics saying, "Gets most of his tax cut — and puts spending in straitjacket for the next 11 years."
We hear a lot about the first part. The second's worth noting.
Bush's plan will cause a defacto spending growth cut. One who noticed was Minnesota's super-liberal Paul Wellstone, who warned "a positive role for government" — meaning spending — was in peril because "resources" — your money — weren't going to be available.
It's hard to spend when you can't tax. The blushingly modest Bush cuts nevertheless force long-term reductions in the growth of spending — which is why democrats are so desperate. Thus has the so-called accidental, no-mandate president foxed them in a matter of months: he's reformed Washington, given people some of their money back, restricted spending crazy politicians and left his opponents.
Those are my ideas, and at the NCPA we know ideas can change the world. I'm Pete du Pont. Next time, european troubles.