Rising Star?

Stone Brain Rises | National Review Online



The rise of the Maine governor points up two things wrong with the conventional wisdom: you have to be bipartisan and compromising to win and that the Republican victories last Tuesday had nothing to do with the substance of policy.



The re-election of Maine's LaPage and the rise of figures like Walker who were brash and took on entrench shibboleths of the Left were the victors in the election, the milquetoast moderates are the ones that did poorly on both sides.



The idea that the election had nothing to do with policy substance is belied by the sweeping and if anything more impressive victories of the Republic party at the state level. The governors and state legislatures that went to the Republicans and, especially, where Republicans were re-elected, were moved not by mere dislike or dissatisfaction with the president but that the Republicans had delivered. It is funny how the Republicans do well when they are responsible for both the legislature and executive or where they pass major and controversial reforms that the electorate gets to pass judgement on at a remove of some years. Moreover, when the Republicans control the state governments, where the government does not have practically unlimited power to print or to borrow money, they deliver results that the voters approve.



That is certainly something.