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One of our goals
for each edition
of The Ripon
Forum is to
focus on a
particular issue
or theme. This
current edition
is no
different. But
as we began work
on it, we began
to wonder
whether we had
failed to
accomplish this
goal.
This edition
does, after all,
feature as its
cover story a
terrific essay
by former Utah
Governor and
Cabinet
Secretary Mike
Leavitt on the
growth of
government in
Washington and
the complacency
of the states in
standing up to
what he views as
an unprecedented
– and possibly
unconstitutional
– federal power
grab.
At the same
time, however,
this edition
also includes an
essay by a
Governor who is
anything but
complacent –
Rhode Island’s
Donald Carcieri,
who writes about
his efforts to
reduce spending
in the Ocean
State. If Carcieri’s
is a success
story, the essay
by political
reform expert
Steven Hill is
not – it is an
account of the
dysfunctional
political
process in
California, and
the effort
underway to
rewrite the
state
constitution and
turn this
process on its
head.
Three different
essays on three
different
topics. At
first glance,
the three have
very little in
common. But
upon further
reflection, we
came to realize
that,
collectively,
they depict the
good, the bad,
and the ugly of
American
governance –
which, after a
summer of town
hall protests
and voter anger,
struck us as an
appropriate
theme to convey.
We hope you
enjoy these
essays. We also
hope you enjoy
some of the
other pieces
included in this
Fall edition,
among them: John
Barrasso’s
expert
commentary on
the importance
of personal
behavior in
driving down
health care
costs; Gail
Wilensky’s
spot-on
assessment of
the flashpoints
and areas of
agreement in the
current health
care debate; and
Darrell Issa’s
practical advice
on how to keep
partisan
politics out of
the Census next
year.
Finally, at a
time when it
seems that every
other political
staffer has a
“tell-all” book
that he or she
wants to write,
we hope you take
a moment to read
the essay by
Joel Sawyer, a
political
professional who
not only has
every reason to
write such a
book, but whom,
for reasons he
discusses in his
essay, has
chosen not to.
As with all
editions of the
Forum, we
would like to
know what you
think. Please
write us at
editor@riponsociety.org
with any
thoughts or
opinions you may
have.
Lou Zickar
Editor
The Ripon Forum
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