| December 10, 1975 | | | | ghetto ethos prevails." |
| In our continuing series of Great Recants, that | | | | 2. On deficit spending - by New York Mayor Abraham |
| pronounced recently by former Ohio Governor John J. | | | | Beame as America's largest city neared bankruptcy. |
| Gilligan has to rank near the top. | | | | He now says, "The very practices I advocated 10 and |
| The once-vocal champion of labor-liberal causes | | | | 20 years ago are responsible for our present difficulty. |
| startled his fellow Democrats at a recent National | | | | The borrowing of money to pay debt was a mistake. |
| Issues Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, by blasting a | | | | It is a bitter lesson." |
| trio of popular programs - a national health proposal, | | | | 3. On federal control - by U.N. Ambassador Daniel P. |
| federal involvement in environmental protection, and | | | | Moynihan, then assistant secretary of labor under |
| federal housing and community development. | | | | President John F. Kennedy. He now says, "American |
| "Heretical as it may sound to some, I am very reluctant | | | | liberals are guilty of over-protecting the good name of |
| to see the federal government launch a nation-wide | | | | the poor, of over-selling underfinanced programs and |
| health insurance program simply on the grounds that in | | | | of avoiding evidence of poor results. In particular (we |
| the decade since Medicare and Medicaid have | | | | liberals) have paid too little heed to the limited |
| appeared, we have poured millions into the health care | | | | capacities of government bureaus to bring about social |
| delivery system without improving materially either the | | | | change." |
| level of health or its availability for most American | | | | 4. On new math - by the California State Board of |
| families," said Gilligan. | | | | Education which a decade ago started the education |
| He went on to suggest that most of these federal | | | | fad. The board now says, "Not everyone needs |
| programs could be better handled on a state or | | | | conceptual theory. The ability to balance a checkbook |
| regional level. Inasmuch as this position is exactly that | | | | or add up a grocery list is basic." |
| of Presidential Hopeful Ronald Reagan, the convention | | | | 5. On permissive behavior - by Dr. Benjamin Spock, |
| delegates were flabbergasted. | | | | baby care specialist and Vietnam War objector. He |
| "I guess it is a departure from some of my previous | | | | now says, "We have reared a generation of brats. |
| thinking," Gilligan said, "but there are many things I | | | | Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear |
| believed in ten years ago when I was in Congress that | | | | of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is |
| now have proved not to work." | | | | a cruel deprivation that we professionals have |
| The aplomb with which dogmatic opinion leaders whirl | | | | imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it |
| 180 degrees when their assertions fail never ceases to | | | | with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was |
| amaze me. | | | | too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining |
| Yet we must acknowledge the intellectual courage | | | | the self assurance of parents." |
| such reversals require. | | | | Let us concede that those who espouse hard work, |
| If only those clearer thinkers who tell it like it is could be | | | | self sufficiency, thrift, simple skills, craftsmanship and all |
| accorded the same consideration as the | | | | the other old fashioned virtues may know what they |
| self-appointed oracles! | | | | are talking about. |
| We delay or destroy good causes at great expense | | | | As we search the list of beautiful social theories of the |
| and travail simply because those who advocate | | | | last few decades, what has succeeded? |
| caution are vilified. | | | | Not the New Deal, nor the Square Deal, nor the New |
| We are justified in questioning the remaining | | | | Frontier, nor the Great Society. |
| pie-in-the-sky proposals still being thumped up by | | | | Not public housing, rent subsidies, campus rioting, black |
| activists with much rhetoric and little logic. | | | | power, isolationism, foreign aid, sexual freedom, |
| Regular readers of this column will recall some of the | | | | affirmative action, welfare, hiring quotas, free tuition. |
| other Great Recants of recent years: | | | | Social Security, Medicare and unemployment |
| 1. On school bussing - by Dr. James Coleman, | | | | compensation survive at great expense but stand in |
| sociologist for the University of Chicago who launched | | | | jeopardy. |
| the integration tool with a federal report in 1964. He | | | | In view of the long and sorry record of error on the |
| now says, "Only under certain specific circumstances | | | | part of yesterday's theorists, we would be better |
| does integration improve black classroom | | | | served by a new generation of pragmatists. |
| performance - when the number of blacks introduced | | | | Better to count small blessings than recant large |
| is not sufficiently large to alter the middle-class ethos | | | | mistakes. |
| of the classroom. When these limits are exceeded, the | | | | |