| December 10, 1975In our continuing series of | | | | York Mayor Abraham Beame as America's largest |
| Great Recants, that pronounced recently by | | | | city neared bankruptcy. He now says, "The |
| former Ohio Governor John J. Gilligan has to | | | | very practices I advocated 10 and 20 years |
| rank near the top.The once-vocal champion of | | | | ago are responsible for our present |
| labor-liberal causes startled his fellow | | | | difficulty. The borrowing of money to pay |
| Democrats at a recent National Issues | | | | debt was a mistake. It is a bitter |
| Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, by | | | | lesson."On federal control - by U.N. |
| blasting a trio of popular programs - a | | | | Ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan, then |
| national health proposal, federal involvement | | | | assistant secretary of labor under President |
| in environmental protection, and federal | | | | John F. Kennedy. He now says, "American |
| housing and community development. | | | | liberals are guilty of over-protecting the |
| | | | good name of the poor, of over-selling |
| "Heretical as it may sound to some, I am | | | | underfinanced programs and of avoiding |
| very reluctant to see the federal government | | | | evidence of poor results. In particular (we |
| launch a nation-wide health insurance program | | | | liberals) have paid too little heed to the |
| simply on the grounds that in the decade | | | | limited capacities of government bureaus to |
| since Medicare and Medicaid have appeared, we | | | | bring about social change."On new math - by |
| have poured millions into the health care | | | | the California State Board of Education which |
| delivery system without improving materially | | | | a decade ago started the education fad. The |
| either the level of health or its | | | | board now says, "Not everyone needs |
| availability for most American families," | | | | conceptual theory. The ability to balance a |
| said Gilligan.He went on to suggest that most | | | | checkbook or add up a grocery list is |
| of these federal programs could be better | | | | basic."On permissive behavior - by Dr. |
| handled on a state or regional level. | | | | Benjamin Spock, baby care specialist and |
| Inasmuch as this position is exactly that of | | | | Vietnam War objector. He now says, "We have |
| Presidential Hopeful Ronald Reagan, the | | | | reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't |
| convention delegates were flabbergasted."I | | | | firm enough with their children for fear of |
| guess it is a departure from some of my | | | | losing their love or incurring their |
| previous thinking," Gilligan said, "but there | | | | resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that |
| are many things I believed in ten years ago | | | | we professionals have imposed on mothers and |
| when I was in Congress that now have proved | | | | fathers. Of course, we did it with the best |
| not to work."The aplomb with which dogmatic | | | | of intentions. We didn't realize until it |
| opinion leaders whirl 180 degrees when their | | | | was too late how our know-it-all attitude was |
| assertions fail never ceases to amaze me.Yet | | | | undermining the self assurance of parents." |
| we must acknowledge the intellectual courage | | | | |
| such reversals require.If only those clearer | | | | Let us concede that those who espouse hard |
| thinkers who tell it like it is could be | | | | work, self sufficiency, thrift, simple |
| accorded the same consideration as the | | | | skills, craftsmanship and all the other old |
| self-appointed oracles!We delay or destroy | | | | fashioned virtues may know what they are |
| good causes at great expense and travail | | | | talking about.As we search the list of |
| simply because those who advocate caution are | | | | beautiful social theories of the last few |
| vilified.We are justified in questioning the | | | | decades, what has succeeded?Not the New Deal, |
| remaining pie-in-the-sky proposals still | | | | nor the Square Deal, nor the New Frontier, |
| being thumped up by activists with much | | | | nor the Great Society.Not public housing, |
| rhetoric and little logic.Regular readers of | | | | rent subsidies, campus rioting, black power, |
| this column will recall some of the other | | | | isolationism, foreign aid, sexual freedom, |
| Great Recants of recent years: | | | | affirmative action, welfare, hiring quotas, |
| | | | free tuition.Social Security, Medicare and |
| | | | unemployment compensation survive at great |
| | | | expense but stand in jeopardy.In view of the |
| On school bussing - by Dr. James Coleman, | | | | long and sorry record of error on the part of |
| sociologist for the University of Chicago who | | | | yesterday's theorists, we would be better |
| launched the integration tool with a federal | | | | served by a new generation of |
| report in 1964. He now says, "Only under | | | | pragmatists.Better to count small blessings |
| certain specific circumstances does | | | | than recant large mistakes.Lindsey Williams |
| integration improve black classroom | | | | is a Sun columnist who can be contacted |
| performance - when the number of blacks | | | | at:Website: with several hundred of Lin's |
| introduced is not sufficiently large to alter | | | | articles written over 40 years, and his book |
| the middle-class ethos of the classroom. | | | | "Boldly Onward," about the original explorers |
| When these limits are exceeded, the ghetto | | | | of America. |
| ethos prevails."On deficit spending - by New | | | | |