In defence of Newt

EVEN at a mere three months' distance, Bill Clinton's first term has acquired the aura of a golden age. There were some real achievements: the deficit reduction that Mr Clinton forced on Congress during his first year in office, the welfare reform that Congress forced upon the president during his last. Moreover, there was some real excitement. In 1993 and 1994 Mr Clinton stuck his neck out on health care. In 1995 and 1996, the congressional Republicans went on the offensive, promising to reform the budget, the regulatory process, and the courts.