The right economic agenda

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T he presidential campaign has come down to two rival ideological visions for the United States. John Kerry wishes to create a middle-class entitlement society, where the government offers free health care, child care and college tuition to tens of millions of working-class Americans. He offers America, in a sense, the mythical and alluring free lunch.

How will Republicans combat this demagogic, socialistic vision of government as the central force in our lives?

The answer is to offer a countervision with bedrock American principles of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity as a higher and nobler goal. America is not Europe -- nor should it be.

President Bush lately has spoken eloquently of his desire to create what he calls "an ownership society." He wants to pursue policies that expand home ownership, stock ownership, and new business creation. In a sense, Mr. Bush wants to create in America a nation of capitalists.

It is hoped that as Americans become shareholders and owners of wealth, they will become less dependent on government. That is precisely why the left is agitated and desperate to win.

The White House has unveiled this attractive, pro-growth vision of 21st century America, but has refused so far to describe in all but broad-brush strokes the actual policies that would advance the ownership society.

Mr. Bush needs to do so for two reasons:

(1) Laying out a conservative economic agenda is the best way for the president to solidify and energize his conservative base of voters. Karl Rove has spoken many times of the fact some 4 million to 6 million conservatives did not vote in 2000, which caused a perilously close election. Conservatives might wonder if a Bush victory is a conservative victory at all if there is no mandate for an economic agenda that promotes freedom and prosperity and smaller government. Mr. Bush is seeking an electoral mandate to do ... what exactly? Presidents' second terms are normally far less successful than their first, and the Reagan and Clinton presidencies are stark recent examples.

(2) Mr. Bush needs a mandate to succeed legislatively in a second term. Without an agenda, there is no mandate.

So here are five ideas for the Bush campaign that would excite conservatives and advance the an ownership society: