Orange County Register Editorial: Soaring phrases, pedestrian promises

[question everything]

Friday, September 3, 2004

(snip)

Our criteria for President Bush's speech might not be everybody's, but we have tried to be open about it. We wanted to see specific proposals for increasing economic opportunity by opening markets rather than enlarging government programs. We wanted to know if his pattern of domestic spending increases will continue. We didn't expect him to admit that the Iraq war was a mistake, but we wanted to know when he will consider the job done and when the troops would start coming home.

So how did he do?

The domestic portion was almost Clintonesque, a laundry list of federal initiatives, with the usual attendant problems and even contradictions. A federal rural health center in every poor county? Restrain the deficit yet expand federal programs? Enforcing federal education standards to strengthen local control? Every president since Jimmy Carter has promised to simplify the tax code and all have made it more complex.

The sections on pressing for an "ownership society" were more promising but vague. We heard about retirement accounts in 2000 but we've seen no progress or leadership from the White House on them. Presidents typically have less ability to be bold in second terms, although it has been a while since one party has controlled both the White House and Congress in that circumstance.

The explanation for invading Iraq hasn't improved. If anything, switching from defending against a threat to invoking a moral crusade to spread liberty by force in the Middle East suggests an undefinable and unending commitment that could drain the country of resources - and its own liberty.

More...
http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2004/09/03/sections/commentary/gop%20convention/article_226319.php