T he 1994 election, more than any in recent memory, “nationalized” politics. That is, the Republicans ran on a coherent ideology and program; Newt Gingrich’s Contract with America became the manifesto. Even though the actual swing in the popular vote was small, it was consistent across the country–enough to give Republicans control of both houses […]
Money, Politics, and Power
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Who Deserted the Democrats in 1994?
Analysts have pronounced 1994 an ideological election because the economy was growing overall. But look who was swinging Republican.
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Of Our Time: A Pile of Vetoes
M idway through this first year of Republican legislative hegemony, President Clinton has seemingly risen, once again, from the political dead. One cannot yet say the same for the Democratic Party or the cause of liberalism. The Republicans are still very much in charge, with an agenda more stridently radical and more dominant than anything […]
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Who Won the Cold War?
Is it high time for liberals to apologize to the anticommunist right, which correctly gauged the red menace from the start? Sorry, the credit belongs to a brave band of liberal cold warriors beginning with George Kennan.
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Wither the Democrats
The Democrats still haven’t found a way to tap America’s discontent. Some new political books suggest how they can.
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Between a Swing and a Lock
T o their credit, the Republican leaders in Congress have had a highly strategic view of the uses of policy in consolidating political power. Newt Gingrich and his colleagues set themselves a clear agenda and they have stuck to it, conscious that their first priority, more important than any single piece of legislation, has been […]
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Goldwater’s Glitter
Conservatives hail Barry Goldwater as a forerunner; liberals appreciate his belated moderation. But Goldwater wasn’t the paragon a new biography makes him out to be.
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The Populist Road to Hell: Term Limits in California
It sounded like a good idea, but if California is any indication, term limits are a recipe for political chaos and increased special interest influence.
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Straight From the Sixties: What Conservatives Owe the Decade They Hate
Apocalyptic intemperateness, paranoia, a loathing of compromise, a demonization of the enemy — where have we run into this before?
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How Low Can You Go? Shoot Now, Think Later
Shoot Now, Think Later Conservatives everywhere are trying to outdo each other. Cut off welfare after two years? Make that just 60 days in some states. End social benefits to illegal immigrants? Make that legal immigrants too. Add the death penalty for some federal crimes? Why not for more? Revolutions often set off this kind […]
