AMERICANS are finally emerging from a six-year presidential campaign. Now that Bill Clinton's second, final, term is underway, perhaps the partisan bickering will quiet down - at least until Al Gore starts his run at the top spot. Putting aside partisan politics
For those six years, in national politics no proposal from either side has been good enough to escape criticism, ridicule and knee-jerk opposition. While the president worked on the sympathy vote, Republicans were as dogmatic as Red Guards - and just about as popular. In Hawaii's almost-one-party government, we've escaped that brand of posturing.
Ben Cayetano took office two years ago sounding like a fiscally responsible Republican rather than a tax-and-spend Democrat. At his first State of the State speech to the Legislature, his proposals won applause from the tiny Republican caucus and tight-jawed stares from the majority members.
This week, it happened again. While Democratic leaders had hinted at tax increases just a week before, the governor proposed targeted tax cuts aimed at revitalizing the economy and improving our ability to compete. He proposed making himself, the governor, accountable for the performance of our schools through an appointed school board. He shared his vision of what Hawaii can become. It's a good one.
Cayetano has shown he has the courage to lead. We hope his partisans have the good sense to follow.
