Political theorist: Newly enacted laws need a period of immunity during which they can be repealed only if circumstances are dire. This is because the short-term consequences of any statutory change are likely to be painful, since people are not accustomed to it, while its longterm benefits are initially obscure, because people require time to learn how to take advantage of it. Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the political theorist's argument? ["The short-term consequences of a law's repeal should be considered more carefully than the short-term consequences of its passage.", 'Whether a law should be retained is independent of what the voters think its consequences will be.', 'Whether a law should be retained depends primarily on the long-term consequences of its enactment.', 'The long-term consequences of the enactment of a law should be more beneficial than its short-term consequences.']