President Bill Clinton, it is said, can speak for days without inhaling and is capable of holding sincerely, sometimes for minutes on end, exactly the same views as whatever group he is standing in front of. The columnist Dave Barry has even suggested that if Bill is put in front of tress, given enough time, he will engage in photosynthesis.

Dave Barry’s comment reflects the cynicism about contemporary politics that many voters around the world have come to feel. The romance of politics has faded as government have over-reached their capacity to do good. Faith springs eternal that politicians can make better decisions on behalf of ordinary people than they can themselves, but reality is sinking in with voters. Even President Clinton, a Democrat, has acknowledged that the era of big government is over.