Can Dubya succeed where Reagan failed?
AL GORE tried it and failed. Ronald Reagan had some modest success when he attempted it. Even Jimmy Carter gave it a shot. Now George W. Bush is trying his hand at reforming the federal government. Let’s hope he has more luck than his predecessors did. Gore tried to “Reinvent Government.” Reagan’s Grace Commission pledged to eliminate “waste, fraud and abuse.” And Carter introduced “zero-based budgeting” for federal agencies to try to reduce the size of government. Despite their efforts, the size of the federal work force grew, but productivity didn’t. Now Bush wants to cut the work force and improve productivity. Good luck. The president’s plan, announced during his weekly radio address, would create incentives for some current federal employees to take early retirement, out-source more jobs to contractors, and base pay increases on performance rather than longevity, allowing managers to reward the best workers. If enacted — and it will not be an easy task, especially with government
