■ Just because George Bush spent the last year and a half denying the recession, that doesn’t mean Bill Clinton has to spend the next year and a half denying the recovery.
■ Forty-seven freshmen Republican congressmen, all self-described outsiders, have concluded their first two weeks in Washington. They were a welcome reinforcement for House conservatives and gave Bob Michel and his senior party colleagues a Maalox moment. Fresh from the campaign trail, they provided the margin of victory for a conservative sweep of the contested House leadership races and voted unanimously to limit the terms of committees’ ranking members. The freshman agenda includes the balanced-budget amendment and line-item veto, reduced federal spending, term limits, and cuts in congressional perks and staff. This platform represents a frontal assault on business as usual, and the freshmen returned home having won their first skirmish. Early standouts include Bill Baker and Richard Pombo of California and John Linder of Georgia. This new conservative phalanx promises a new experience for Hill Republicans: an Opposition that will really oppose.
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