From: rja@mahogany126.cray.com (Russ Anderson)
Subject: Arthur B. Laffer
Originator: rja@mahogany126
Organization: The 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins!
Date: 15 Oct 92 10:26:58 CDT


        BUSH DOES NOT MERIT REELECTION
        by Arthur B. Laffer 

  George Bush has not earned the right to be reelected.  His performance
  has been poor across a wide range of presidential tasks.  It's time
  for a new broom to sweep the country clean.

  In my opinion, the issue is not whether Bill Clinton did or did not
  misuse the Selective Service system or whether he had an affair or
  whether he smoked marijuana.  Any cursory review of U.S. presidents
  demonstrates beyond the shadow of a doubt that their prior behavior
  has no bearing whatsoever on their performance as president.

  Jack Kennedy as a senator and congressman wasn't very good.  And yet
  he was a truly great president because of his tax cuts and strong 
  defense posture.  Lyndon Johnson went the other way.  Ronald Reagan,
  the biggest tax increaser as governor of California, was unquestionably
  the best president of this century because of his tax cuts and "Star
  Wars" defense program.  Right-winger Richard Nixon opened up Red China,
  raised taxes and put on wage and price controls.  The record is full
  of presidential suprises.

  The biggest suprise of all is George Bush.  Based upon what he had
  accomplished, he had to be a great president.  He had the best resume
  in town and turned out to be a dud.  Who knows what Clinton will be
  like?  The record is full of suprises.

  But what we do know is what Bush will be like.  Once the pattern has
  been formed, presidents don't stray very far.

  With the performance of the economy going the way it has, you would 
  think that maybe one of his economic advisers would have been replaced 
  in the past four years.  But Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady, Budget
  Director Richard Darman and Michael Boskin, chairman of the Council of
  Economic Advisers, still reign supreme.  Jack Kemp, who really does
  have good ideas, has been silenced at the Department of Housing and
  Urban Development.

  If the truth be known, the Republican ticket would be greatly improved
  if Dan Quayle had dropped Bush.  Dan Quayle is good, but has been 
  miscast by the Bush people.

  One of the silliest things I've heard coming out of this campaign is 
  that Darman was correct when he told Bush in 1988 not to make the
  "read-my-lips" pledge.  The pledge was the right thing to do.  Not 
  keeping that pledge was the wrong thing to do.  Bush still doesn't
  get it.

  Lots of other issues can be enumerated, from the collapse of the 
  economy to Saddam Hussain's continued rule in Baghdad.  Sure, Bush has
  had some bad luck as he had at the state dinner in Tokyo.  But, all
  in all, Reagan gave him a beautiful economy and a world order where
  the United States was No. 1.  It was Bush's opportunity to lose.  And
  he really lost it.

  As governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton was above average.  He had an
  undistinguished career, but never came close to being as bad as, say,
  Jim Florio of New Jersey or Lowell Weicker of Connecticut.  Clinton
  should do a far better job than Bush has done.  But, then again, that's
  not saying much.  

  The final point is that, if Clinton screws up the country, you'll get
  a great GOP president in 1996 the likes of Kemp or Quayle.  If Bush
  wins you'll get a rotten four years and by 1996 you'll still have
  nothing to look forward to.

  ---------
        Arthur B. Laffer, a member of former President Ronald Reagan's
        economic policy advisory board, is chairman of a research and 
        consulting firm.  He wrote this article for Newsday.
        Reprinted in Minneapolis Star Tribune, Thursday October 15, 1992.
-- 
Russ Anderson    |  Disclaimer: Any statements are my own and do not reflect
------------------              upon my employer or anyone else.  (c) 1992
EX-Twins' Jack Morris, 10 innings pitched, 0 runs (World Series MVP!)