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May 23, 2006 [LINK]
Lloyd Bentsen
The charmingly patrician former senator from Texas, Lloyd Bentsen, passed away today at the age of 85. He had a fascinating political career, consistently on the moderate-to-conservative side of the Democrat Party. In 1970 he locked horns with George Bush the Elder in the race for Senate, and won. The Washington Post obituary notes that he flew combat missions in B-24 bombers based in Italy during World War Two, just like George McGovern did. Bentsen will no doubt go down in history for uttering the most devastating put-down in American history, to the hapless Dan Quayle in the 1988 vice presidential debate, but he should be remembered for more than that. He served as Secretary of Treasury during Bill Clinton's first term, exerting a much-needed moderating influence, along with Robert Rubin, who replaced him in 1995. Many people forget that Clinton was originally committed to an aggressive liberal Keynesian expansionist program that would have been highly inappropriate at a time of soaring deficits. You can call it luck or wisdom, but the 1990s would definitely not have seen the phenomenal sustained economic expansion without Clinton's momentous mid-1993 choice in favor of fiscal prudence. Bentsen should get some of the credit for that.
So where are the dignified, sensible, moderate Democrats of today?
Posted (or last updated or commented upon): 23 May 2006, 10: 39 PM
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This (or that) year's
blog highlights
January 7, 2006 ~ DeLay gives up majority leader post
January 12, 2006 ~ Alito withstands Dems' "torture"
January 16, 2006 ~ Michelle Bachelet wins in Chile
January 19, 2006 ~ Views on Iran's nuclear ambitions
January 24, 2006 ~ Fallout from Canada's election
January 31, 2006 ~ Second (& third) thoughts on Iran
February 1, 2006 ~ The State of the Union, 2006
February 8, 2006 ~ D.C. Council votes "yes," but...
February 18, 2006 ~ Checks and balances in wartime
February 22, 2006 ~
Neocons & Neolibs: chastened alike
February 28, 2006 ~
The Dubai Ports World uproar
March 14, 2006 ~ New D.C. baseball stadium unveiled
March 24, 2006 ~ In the footsteps of France?
April 7, 2006 ~ Immigration compromise fails
May 16, 2006 ~ Bush militarizes Mexican border
June 6, 2006 ~ Alan Garcia triumphs, once again
June 9, 2006 ~
Zarqawi: The death of a terrorist
July 3, 2006 ~
Election in Mexico: too close to call
July 5, 2006 ~ North Korea goes ballistic
July 28, 2006 ~ Garcia prepares to lead Peru, again
August 4, 2006 ~ Israel invades Hezbolland
September 6, 2006 ~ "Crunchy conservatives": for real?
September 25, 2006 ~ Nationalists thwart conservation
October 3, 2006 ~ Nationals: Year in review
October 29, 2006 ~ Virginia's marriage amendment
November 7, 2006 ~ The people render their verdict
November 8, 2006 ~ Republicans lose big time
November 9, 2006 ~ Allen concedes / Election post-mortem
November 13, 2006 ~ Toward consensus on Iraq?
December 1, 2006 ~ Realism and our goals in Iraq
December 6, 2006 ~ Latin America & U.S. trade policy
December 8, 2006 ~ Iraq Study Group reports
December 22, 2006 ~ Yuletide political roundup
Blog highlights have been compiled for the years 2010-2012 thus far, and eventually will be compiled for earlier years, back to 2002.
Explanation
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