we expect him to make a series of compromises in the servicernof our shared ideals, and if he is unwilHng to bend, he shouldrnfind some other line of work. But if the compromising beginsrnat our level, at the level of what our friend Mel Bradford usedrnto call the higher journalism, then the statesman is left withoutrna vision and the mere politician has not even the figleaf of ideologyrnto conceal his greed and ambition. If we say no to allrngovernment health insurance, including the Medicare andrnMedicaid we already have, then it is conceivable that somernyoung congressman of principle will hold out against the Clintonrnplan and, as evidence accumulates of all the failed nationalrnhealth systems in Europe, a movement might even takernshape, successful enough to attract the stupid opportunists whornare the vast majority in both parties and all factions. But if conservativesrnare willing to support the Republicans’ moderate alternativernto the Clinton plan, then they not only forfeit all rightrnto criticize the compromise plan that is eventually adopted, butrnthey will have to shut up and watch their moderate compromisernradicalized by federal court decisions and subsequentrncongressional revisions. If anyone doubts this, he need onlyrnconsult the history of civil rights legislation since 1964. Thernonly proper conservative position in 1964 was unqualifiedrnopposition, and we are forced to live every day with the resultsrnof Republican moderation. “A plague on both their houses,”rnexclaimed John Llewellyn Lewis, when he realized the worth ofrnboth American parties.rnThe man who sticks to his guns has the satisfaction of sayingrn”I told you so” ad nauseam and the indescribable joy of ridiculingrnall the pantywaists who have sold their souls not for arnmess but for a mere scruple of porridge. It cannot be said thatrnthe pantywaists are inclined to forgive and forget. Journalistsrnand politicians who know they are no better than prostitutesrncan appreciate our good will in painting scarlet letters all overrntheir resumes, and over the years we have been accused ofrnenough hate crimes to warrant an international trial underrnthe Genocide Convention. But as Chesterton once observed,rnhe liked being in hot water all the time, because it was a goodrnway of staying clean, and so long as we can afford to buy soaprnand pay our electricity bill, we intend to stay in hot water.rnThe Journalist of Reputationrnby WiUiam BaerrnWho cares about his active crotch,rnthe opium, the quarts of scotch,rncompulsive lies (a small faux pas),rnthe Satan rites, menage a trois,rndeserted mistress, abandoned son,rnand all the other bits of fun?rnLet’s give this prince of blackest liesrnthe Times first page and the Pulitzer Prize.rnHe’d seen the corpses in the streetrnrotting in the summer heat,rnbut what’s a couple million dead?rnit’s best to leave the thing unsaid.rnHe had his girls, and perks, and booze,rnand never put it in the news,rnHe liked the tyrant and his “ism,”rnand “tough,” “committed” journalism.rnOCTOBER 1994/15rnrnrn