He discussed the revelation with a friend, Sidney Lanier, an Episcopal minister and cousin of Tennessee Williams who had used theater to evoke social reform themes in the 1960's.
With its wan echo of New Labour reforming themes, the grab-bag of policies the prime minister portentously entitled "Building Britain's Future" is not up to much (see article).
But he had given the skilled working class ("angels in marble") the vote in 1867, and he would legislate for public health, housing and factory reforms – themes of his 1872 speeches – when he finally won a Commons majority, in 1874-80, when he was already 70.
Recently, Baldwin has spoken out in favor of the Clean Air Act, blogged for The Huffington Post about the education reform-themed film 'Waiting for Superman,' remembering late American ambassador Richard Holbrooke and the "faux populism" of Sarah Palin.
Reform was the theme and Georgia the quickest reformer, leaping to 37th place in the rankings from 112th last year.
Throughout the election campaign he stressed his theme: "reform with no sacred cows".
But that does not detract from the importance of his pledge to make campaign finance reform a major theme of his campaign.
There were several upsets across New York State, but on Long Island it would have been hard to tell that reform was the theme of the election season.
Conservatives resolutely refuse to learn any lesson from John McCain's thumping of George W. Bush in New Hampshire, when he made campaign reform his central theme -- or from Mr. McCain's subsequent defeat after he veered from that message.
On economic reform, the strongest theme is that of developing a finance market.
