President Reagan succeeded in the first two goals. Taxes were cut and the economy skyrocketed in the most protracted boom in living memory of most Americans. What Wall Street Journal Editor Robert Bartley described as "Seven Fat Years" in his book by that name actually turned out to be 18 fat years, interrupted only briefly by one or two hiccups in the economy, one of which helped to oust President Bush's father from office in 1992.

As to the second goal, not one square inch of territory anywhere in the world went communist on Reagan's watch. Indeed, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the satellite states resulted from his policies in diplomacy, military strength, intelligence and economics. It took the Clinton administration to undo much of that accomplishment and put the U.S. back in harm's way. But that is another story.

The Elusive Third Goal

The Reagan presidency failed in its third goal, curbing spending, largely for two reasons:

It is that third leg that this Bush administration apparently considers unfinished business. His budget aims to restrict spending to 4 percent above last year’s level. For this, the White House is being pilloried by the congressional left wing for not raising the level of taxpayer funding of government by at least 6 percent.

The president is very resolute on holding the line on spending, a White House aide told us.

"The president thinks in terms of the accumulation and use of political capital," he added. Translated: If that means taking some hits for vetoing spending bills, so be it.

Bush is known to believe the congressional Democrats rolled over his father when he offered to cooperate and compromise with them during his tenure at the White House.

The younger Bush's refusal to give the left-wing American Bar Association the preferred royal treatment in picking judicial nominees is but one sign of resolve that things will be different in this Bush administration.

It seems the difference between the present President Bush and the senior Bush is that while this president will hold out the olive branch and play fair with the Democratic congressional leaders, he will expect them to play fair in return.

"He feels deepest about bringing about change, and he has already mapped his objectives," the presidential aide added.

"Absolutely, he is willing to veto legislation that seeks to throw roadblocks in the path of that change," he assured us.

His stand on campaign finance reform and reining in EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman on global warming are two examples of Bush's determination not to be "rolled" either by Congress or the bureaucracy. The latter was the driving force behind the Whitman misunderstanding.

Of course, the president will be smart about it, too. "He will pick his fights. He is not overlooking the fact that there is a certain fragility in a country that is of a divided mind" on many issues. But "bipartisanship" in this administration will not mean just caving in and giving the Democrats everything they want.

The White House is looking to get to the issue of a privatized option for Social Security by the fall.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Bush Administration

Related Products:
Have an Opinion About This? Send a PriorityGram Today.