AHC: House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, Jr. (1977-1987) more effective than Carter or Reagan on eco

more effective on the economy, and on war and peace.

And we might as well throw in energy policy, environmental policy, and education! :)
 
And I don’t mean Tip runs roughshod or ends up snookering Carter or Reagan.

I mean, he works with them. For example, he thought Reagan’s huge tax cuts counting on future growth to make up deficits was a terrible gamble. Let’s suppose he takes the view, okay, not a baby step, we can in fact take a solid medium step. But then we need to figure out a couple of good ways to measure how well it’s working. That is, he still lets Reagan be Reagan, just arguably a better Reagan.
 
Last edited:
Let’s say Congress under Tip’s leadership is able to:

1) continue to grow the American middle class,

2) avoid such a dangerous 1983 with the Soviet Union, and

3) as Congress moves from an iron-clad seniority system pre-1970 to one of PAC financing and individual donations, and in which party financing is much less a percentage. And also as Congress moves to a system in which sub-committee chairs have more power and independence, and in general more members of Congress have a roles of genuine power. In the old days, it was much more top heavy.

Well, Tip helps to bend the path on all this so we end up with a much more functional institution.

=======

And yes, the various majority leaders of the Senate will need to come into this timeline, too.
 
Last edited:
Top