Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 6, 1993 TAG: 9302080261
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WHAT HATH CLINTON WROUGHT?
BILL CLINTON'S big job over the next four years is to set a course for America's long-term economic well-being - a task rivaled only by (and related to) issues of world peace and national security.Forging economic policy takes awhile, particularly if it is to be grounded in something more substantial than bromides and wishful thinking. When Clinton unveils an economic plan Feb. 17 to a joint session of Congress, it may advance the debate; it won't end it.
In non-economic areas, however, the new president is making his mark. Less than three weeks after taking office, Clinton already has:
Reversed a passel of Reagan-era policies that had been put forth under the guise of anti-abortionism.
Begun the process of ending the ban on gays in the military.
Signed into law a family-leave measure passed this week by Congress.
Made it clear he'll sign a "motor voter" bill expected to reach his desk before the end of the month.
Challenged Congress to get serious about campaign-finance reform.
Made it easier for states to try welfare-reform experiments.
Most of the above represents whole or partial fulfillment of pledges made on the campaign trail.
Some of it - for example, reversal of the ban on fetal-tissue medical search that could lead to cures, or at least better treatment of, a number of serious diseases - represents an end to morally repugnant policies.
Some of it - for example, suspension of discharge proceedings against military personnel for no other reason than sexual orientation - represents a start toward more morally respectable policies. Orientation isn't relevant to military fitness; behavior is - including heterosexual wrongdoing, as in the now-infamous Tailhook incident.
Family-leave, campaign-finance and motor-voter bills all were passed last year by Congress, then vetoed by then-President Bush.
Clearly, family leave - requiring companies with 50 or more workers to grant unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks for the birth of a child, adoption or family health emergencies - lost little if anything in congressional favor because of the change in the White House. Neither, apparently, did the "motor voter" bill requiring states to ease voter-registration rules.
But campaign reform may prove a different story.
By saying he would've signed last year's bill, Clinton in effect has told Congress it's time to put up or shut up. No longer can a member cast a freebie, look-good vote for meaningful reform while knowing it won't get past the White House.
Meanwhile, reform advocates are raising the ante. Last year's bill may have been good enough last year, they're saying, but it isn't good enough this year - not after Ross Perot's showing and other signs of the electorate's displeasure with politics as usual.
Campaign-finance reform, however, isn't quite so simple as its more naive advocates contend. Its history is littered with examples of unintended consequences. So is welfare reform's.
Clinton has instructed the Department of Health and Human Resources to streamline the process by which states can learn whether a welfare-reform proposal passes federal muster. It may seem only a marginal improvement; certainly, it's no substitute for a broader overhaul of the system.
But the protracted approval (or disapproval) process has been a disincentive to state experimentation. And the underlying philosophy is right: At some point, policy wonkery has to give way to reality checks. Try it in a small way; if it works, try it in a bigger way. If it doesn't work, try something else.
Yes, crucial economic issues still await. And yes, the new president has taken a hit or two. But the honeymoon's over almost before it could begin? For a honeymoon-less presidency, a lot sure seems to be getting done.