But when you see leading Republican senators and House members move off the reservation of personal-account Social Security reform, when you see them flinch on even the mildest budget restraints for overspending entitlements, you wonder if the Bush-Cheney reform-legacy will stand the test of time.
There is a disappointing parallel here. George H.W. Bush was elected to a third Reagan term to guard the Gipper's legacy of tax-rate cuts, deregulation, and the exportation of political and economic freedom abroad. But Papa Bush disappointed, by raising taxes at home and doing business with dictators overseas. Realism trumped idealism on foreign policy. Seeing Saddam Hussein retain power in Baghdad was the worst example of this.
It is highly doubtful that a President Cheney would repeat such errors in a third W. term. First off, Cheney's basic belief system has been set in stone for more than three decades. Second, he is a highly effective communicator, having trounced Joe Lieberman and John Edwards during the vice presidential debates. Third, Cheney possesses one of the widest and deepest knowledge bases of government policy of anyone in Washington today. His ability to get things done -- often amidst fractious debates on domestic and international policy -- is well documented.
This is the true source of Cheney envy. It has frequently been observed that the Republicans have all the good ideas nowadays and that the Democrats have virtually none. But you'd be correct if you said Bush and Cheney not only generated these ideas, but also put them into action.
Does anyone seriously doubt that Cheney is the most qualified person, in either party, to be our next president? Any number of early Republican hopefuls -- Bill Frist, Tom Allen, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney -- would look good riding the bus with Cheney in a few years. The Cheney for President bus, that is.
I hope President Bush asks Vice President Cheney to succeed him. For four more years.