“Ideas that matter,
since 1965.”

Edition
Vol. 43, No. 4

In This Edition

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 […]

By Ripon Society

Without Responsibility, There is No Reform

“If we can provide the proper incentives to encourage people to live healthier lives, there will be adequate money to help others deal with the cost of their care.”

By Ripon Society

The Consensus That Exists, and the Obstacles to Reform

“Once again, the nation is in the throes of debating health care reform. Although a perennial topic during Presidential elections, it has been a decade and a half since the country has been consumed by health care reform as a major issue — perhaps the major issue — of the day.”

By Ripon Society

Census and Sensibility

“In the great sea of partisanship that is the seat of federal government, a lone island of nonpartisan calm must always be the United States Census Bureau.”

By Ripon Society

The CFO Act 20 Years Later: A Smart Government Idea that is Being Ignored

“The CFO Act has raised the importance of proper accounting standards in government and increased the stature of the financial professionals. Now it is time to move to the next phase and substantially raise the bar by connecting financial accounting to better outcomes in government.”

By Ripon Society

The Invisible Battleground

“The government should legislate for the results it wants and implement the appropriate penalties, then step back and let the market figure out how to achieve those results.”

By Ripon Society

The Rise of Value Voters

“To reach independents, Republicans not only need to tap into the frustration they have over the growth of government, but tap into their desire to make government work.”

By Ripon Society

The Unbridled Growth of Federal Power and the Complacency of the States

Michael O. Leavitt states, “Without steady counter pressure from unified states, the momentum of Washington’s budget, influence and arrogance will inevitably grow.”

By Ripon Society

Right-Sizing Government

Donald Carcieri, Governor of the State of Rhode Island, discusses the fiscal challenges his state is facing, “Rhode Island doesn’t need higher taxes, it needs more taxpayers. It needs an expanding economy, not an expanding government.”

By Ripon Society

A Radical Solution for California’s Intractable Woes

“With California grappling with a crisis of historic proportions, many people feel it is time to draw upon the genius of what has always been the Golden State’s greatest resource — Californians themselves.”

By Ripon Society

A GOP Resurgence in the Northeast

Charles Bass, representative of New Hampshire, writes, “…if we are going to become the majority party again in this country, we must rise like Lazarus in the Northeast.”

By Ripon Society

Of Memoirs and Malcontents: Why the easy thing is not always the right thing to do

“With all the ingredients present for a political tell-all novel about my time as Governor Mark Sanford’s communications director, I’ve had a number of people ask when the book is hitting the shelves.”

By Ripon Society

The Ripon Profile of Jason Chaffetz

The GOP must, “Return to our true conservative principles such as a strong national defense, limited government, accountability, and fiscal discipline.”

By Ripon Society

In This Edition

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

★