10-28-90 George [Herbert Walker] Bush has been roundly criticized, mainly by conservatives, for “violating” his “No new taxes” pledge during the 1988 campaign. I hate to defend Bush, but there are several responses he could make. First, he could claim that he was talking about new taxes—that is, taxes of a kind not already in place. Most people, however, interpret his remark as ruling out increased taxes, and since he recently agreed to a budget compromise which contains increased taxes of various kinds, the conclusion is that he violated his pledge. Second, he could claim that he didn’t mean what he said. On one plausible interpretation, “No new taxes” means “I’ll do whatever I can to avoid increasing tax rates”. This doesn’t categorically rule out increased rates; it announces a principled opposition to them. But there are other principles besides this, one of which is that government should continue to function and another of which is that essential social services not be interrupted or terminated. Wouldn’t it be irresponsible for a politician, especially the leader of a nation, to categorically rule out what may very well be a means to achieving desirable social ends? I think it would. The problem for Bush is that he has not tried to explain his so-called pledge or justify his budget compromise. The American people are left guessing about both.
It often happens that I think fond thoughts of some event from my past, even though, at the time I experienced it, I wasn’t content. In other words, the initial experience is often intermixed with worry, regret, joy, and sometimes exhilaration. A good example is my experience as a law and graduate student at Wayne State University between 1979 and 1983. One fond thought recurs: walking across campus on cold, slushy winter nights to get to Mackenzie Hall or some other building for a graduate history or philosophy course. I wore a tattered blue overcoat (given or sold to me by Steve Munger), a muffler, and cheap cotton gloves. I used to buy a large cup of coffee and a bagel at a little stand in the building just before going to class. My law classes may have been onerous and boring, but when I sat down to hear a lecture on ethics by Bruce Russell or on the Civil War by Marc Kruman I was transported to another world. All cares and concerns of life, including the inclement weather, went out the window. It was pure escapism. Alas, the class would eventually end and I would be thrust out into the cold, to return to my apartment and the next day’s clerical work or law study. History and philosophy kept me sane while I was in law school.
The Arizona Wildcat football team is 6-2 and has an outside chance to go to the Rose Bowl. But the Wildcats will have to beat a powerful Washington Huskies team next weekend and get help from someone else down the line. As so often happens, the Wildcats defeated a couple of powerful teams this year (including Southern Cal[ifornia]), but lost games to clearly inferior teams. They just can’t seem to put it all together. By the way, I’m looking forward to the college basketball season. Lute Olson is expected to have a superb squad this year.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 