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Republican Revolution
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For all the talk of limiting government, Florida spends 50% more now than when voters first elected Jeb Bush.
Kirk made more mistakes in one term than most governors make in a lifetime, but he was a risk-taker who wanted change and went after it heart and soul. His idea of turning a freighter was to ram it from the side.
Like Gingrich, Kirk got booted after four years. The rocket flamed out. That's the lesson that most politicians remember.
Bush, though no flame-thrower, was ideally suited to break the inertia of government. No governor has been more philosophically consistent on constraining the growth of government than Bush has been. And yet there apparently was either a shortage of ideas -- no clue on what to do or how to go about it -- or a shortage of political courage -- the willingness to take on all the constituencies that rally 'round when any budget item is threatened.
Now the moment has passed. No one in the governor's race now shows the slightest interest in "reinventing government."
Of course, somebody might look around and decide that Florida is quite fortunate in its government. It has a vibrant economy, the highest credit rating and one of the lowest state budgets and state employee counts per capita in the country. It has performed well in crisis and avoided increases in tax rates. Somebody might say that this nice circumstance is a product of a series of pretty good governors, each of whom brought different priorities, good intentions and decent results.
You might say that, but you wouldn't get elected. Nobody wants to either stand up for government or truly recast it. Politicians just talk boldly and carry a small stick.
