FIFE’S STRIFE, PETE’S FEAT

FIFE SYMINGTON of Arizona has turned out to be one of the country’s best governors. When he was elected in 1990, the state’ s Republican Party was still in paroxysms on account of Evan Mecham, the governor who crusaded against the Martin Luther King holiday and whom the legislature impeached and tossed out of office in 1988. By 1992, Mr. Symington had successfully changed the subject. Republicans took back the state legislature, and the governor busied himself stumping for school vouchers, truth in sentencing, tax cuts, and other conservative staples.

On most of these issues, Mr. Symington has had some success. Although his voucher ideas ran into a political stone wall, he did get half a loaf in school reform. The legislature approved charter-school legislation that simplifies entry into the education market by private operators. A new law provides that public schools will receive report cards each year, which eventually will make transparent each school’s progress, or lack of it. Though it is not choice, it is a step in the right direction.

FIFE SYMINGTON of Arizona has turned out to be one of the country’s best governors. When he was elected in 1990, the state’ s Republican Party was still in paroxysms on account of Evan Mecham, the governor who crusaded against the Martin Luther King holiday and whom the legislature impeached and tossed out of office in 1988. By 1992, Mr. Symington had successfully changed the subject. Republicans took back the state legislature, and the governor busied himself stumping for school vouchers, truth in sentencing, tax cuts, and other conservative staples.

On most of these issues, Mr. Symington has had some success. Although his voucher ideas ran into a political stone wall, he did get half a loaf in school reform. The legislature approved charter-school legislation that simplifies entry into the education market by private operators. A new law provides that public schools will receive report cards each year, which eventually will make transparent each school’s progress, or lack of it. Though it is not choice, it is a step in the right direction.